Seal of Fate
by DSK
Summary: Hinata makes a rash decision, and Naruto must find a way to save her. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Kyuubi has an idea… NaruHina NejiTenten, ShikaIno, Saku? will come later
1. Without a Choice

Hello, Hello, some of you may remember me from my other fic, The Ties That Bind. For those of you whose tastes do not cross all mediums, this is my Naruto fic. This will be my first time writing in the fandom, but I hope I can do it justice.

Disclaimer no jutsu: I don't own Naruto much to my disappointment.

Without a Choice

1-2-3

To the trained eye, the Valley of the End was alight as the two combatants within traded blows at super human speed. This was not surprising however, if the causal observer (not that there were any) stopped to consider the fact that neither one was entirely human at this point.

Sasuke Uchiha allowed himself a tiny smile, he had activated the level 2 curse seal a short while ago and the power that now flowed through him was amazing. This was what he needed to defeat his brother. This was what power truly was; Itachi would never know power like this. Breaking away from that train of thought, he focused on his opponent. They stood apart for the moment sizing up each other. His opponent, Naruto Uzumaki, now stood on his hands and feet and stared at Sasuke through the red aura that surrounded him; the aura Sasuke noted with interest resembled a great fox.

Naruto also surveyed his once friend and rival, Sasuke no longer looked human. His skin was pitch black and his eyes were a deep shade of purple except where the blood red of the Sharingan could be seen. Naruto was afraid for his comrade, afraid of what would come of this cursed power. He had tried to tell Sasuke that power always came at a price but Sasuke wouldn't listen. Naruto didn't want to kill Sasuke but he wouldn't talk anymore and so Naruto might not have any other choice.

It was Sasuke who broke the silence, "It's no use, Naruto. I'm not going back. Give it up and leave before I have to kill you."

When Naruto answered it was in a low growl, "Never. I made a promise to Sakura-chan that I would bring you back and I never go back on my word."

"Fine then, if you won't leave then let's end this now." With that he began to charge his most powerful attack.

1-2-3

A few hundred feet away on the edge of the valley the only other living souls for a mile or more watched the fight with bated breath.

Hinata Hyuga knew that they weren't supposed to be there, she and Sakura-chan were supposed to be back in the village but Naruto-kun was out here.

Two hours earlier she had been training with her teammate Shino when she had noticed it, an intense chakra signature flaring up in the distance. Without her Byakugan she wouldn't have noticed it, but as it was she had seen the flare as clear as day, she had also seen the second one appearing shortly after. She knew that chakra; she remembered it from Naruto-kun's fight with Neji-nii-san. It hadn't taken her long to decide that she would go; she would prove to Naruto-kun that she could be strong.

She had tried to leave alone but Sakura had seen her as she had tried to sneak through the village gates. Hinata had forgotten that Sakura was sitting there waiting for some sign of the search party. When she had found out what Hinata was planning, she had demanded to go as well. And that was how Hinata Hyuga and Sakura Haruno found themselves on the rim of the Valley of the End watching as the two boys, both something less and something more than human, prepared to end the fight in one final attack.

1-2-3

Naruto allowed a small sigh to escape him before following Sasuke's example. Naruto gathered his chakra to his palm and struggled to force it together; finally it came together into a small orb about three inches across. Meanwhile Sasuke brought energy into his hand until it looked like his entire arm was covered in black lightning.

"This ends now Naruto, DARK CHIDORI!" Sasuke screamed charging his former teammate.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto yelled leaping forward with his own attack.

The two attacks met and the whole valley shuddered. Hinata and Sakura watched as the two attacks tried to rip each other apart only to backfire and send both combatants flying towards opposite ends of the valley. They watched as Naruto came to a violent stop in the valley wall not far from where they stood. Sasuke recovered first and charged his unmoving foe.

Sasuke found Naruto sitting against the wall of the valley not moving more than to breathe. Sasuke smiled as he charged another Chidori, "You lose."

Hinata watched in silent horror as Sasuke knelt down to get a better angle on Naruto's heart. _He wouldn't, would he?_ But Hinata knew deep down that yes he would. Before her mind could decide anything her body reacted, instinct kicked in and she moved. She leapt from her perch over looking the battle and raced down the side of the valley, as she ran she cried out to the one she could never bring herself to tell she loved. "NARUTO-KUN!" As she moved Sakura had called out and tried to stop her, but when she reached the edge of the valley Sakura stopped. She wanted to follow Hinata but she didn't know what she would have to do when they reached the scene of the fight. No…she knew well what she would have to do, she would have to fight Sasuke, and so as Hinata sped off towards the fight Sakura stayed. She could not bring herself to follow the other girl; she couldn't go down there and face the monster that Sasuke had become. In the end, when perhaps it mattered most, she was too afraid.

"Good bye Naruto." Sasuke sneered before thrusting his hand towards Naruto. It was then that he heard Hinata's cry echoing across the valley, when he heard it he hesitated. For just a split second he held his attack before completing the strike, but that split second was enough for little Hinata Hyuga to slip between the fallen shinobi and the attack.

Naruto awoke when he heard a familiar voice echo across the valley. He snapped up from his daze in time to see Hinata slip between him and Sasuke. He looked into her face and he saw no fear, only sadness. While he watched she whispered something, "Good bye Naruto-kun, I'm sorry I could never tell you." Then he watched as her eyes widened in shock and a small gasp escape her lips, and then he watched as the body of Hinata Hyuga slumped under it's own weight before being shoved roughly aside.

1-2-3

Deep within Naruto the great nine tailed fox Kyuubi watched through his container's eyes. He watched as the other boy prepared to finish the fight, and he watched as the young Hyuga had slipped between them at the last minute. It was then, as the light began to fade from the milk white eyes of the girl, that Kyuubi felt something strange rising from the deepest recesses of Naruto's conscious. From within his normally happy, carefree container came pure unbridled rage. It was a rage so primal in its fury that even Kyuubi, who in these 15 years of imprisonment hadn't seen, much less felt, rage of this magnitude, was startled. After a moment Kyuubi began to feed the boy all the power he could handle, then he sat back with a calculating smile on his face. _"**This should be interesting to watch kit, very interesting indeed.**"_

1-2-3

Sasuke shoved Hinata's body aside and moved forward, another Chidori already charging in his hand, "This time no one will save you." Sasuke shoved this final attack at Naruto, confident it was over.

Naruto snatched Sasuke's hand out of mid air and as his momentum continued to push him forward, Naruto bent his wrist back on itself. Then he dragged Sasuke forward into his other fist, burying it deep into the boy's lower ribs. Finally he removed his hand from Sasuke's stomach and planted a full-armed punch into the still stunned boy's jaw. Sasuke, who had been expecting none of this, barely registered his broken wrist and shattered ribs when Naruto's final punch hit him. His concentration wavered and the curse seal receded; without its power, everything Naruto had done to him began to catch up. He felt the pain of his injuries for an agonizing moment and then everything left him and his vision faded into darkness.

Now that Sasuke was out Naruto's rage came under control and he moved with grim purpose. Gathering Sasuke's broken form Naruto slung him over his back and then gathered up Hinata with gentle arms. Leaping quickly up the side of the valley he headed the direction Hinata had come from.

Sakura watched as Naruto ended the fight and then gathering up the bodies of their fallen companions he headed up the cliff. As he approached, Sakura rushed forward wringing her hands anxiously. "N-naruto-kun…" she stammered in a panicky voice. When he reached her he set Hinata's body down and practically threw Sasuke's limp form into her arms.

"Here, take him back to the village and get help." Naruto's voice was cold and dark, and if he was surprised to see her he didn't show it. He was nothing like the Naruto she remembered, telling her not to worry, that he would bring Sasuke back. This was a different Naruto, one that Sakura feared a little, and so she was quick to take his words to heart and speed off through the trees.

Naruto sighed at the retreating form before moving to Hinata's side. Sitting down, he didn't spare a thought as to why the girls had been there, only that now, he had to do something to save Hinata. Closing his eyes in concentration, he reached out to the only one who could.

"_Kyuubi."_

Now, thought Kyuubi, is my chance. **"Yes, Kit. What is it that my landlord demands of me now."**

"_I don't have time for your shit right now. Heal her."_

"**Heal who?" **Kyuubi asked in his most pleasant voice. Kyuubi was keeping a very close eye on the girl's chakra and life force. She was alive, for now.

"I told you I don't have time for this shit! She doesn't have time! Heal her like you heal me!"

"**I'm sorry kit, but it doesn't work that way. I can heal you because of the seal but she is beyond that magic and I cannot extend my protection to her."** If Kyuubi had had a body it would have smiled boldly. He had Naruto right where he wanted him.** "But…there is one thing we could do."**

Naruto frowned as Kyuubi spoke; he had felt Kyuubi's pleasure in that last statement. Naruto might have been a couple seals short of a jutsu, but he was not nearly as stupid as many made him out to be. He could see the trap Kyuubi had laid for him, but he also knew the fox well enough to suspect that there was at least some truth to his claim. Knowing that Kyuubi was Hinata's only chance for survival he walked straight into Kyuubi's trap.

"_What?"_

"**I can show you how to split the seal."**

Naruto was completely lost, _"What?"_

"**The seal that the Fourth placed upon me seals me within your body, its nature also allows you access to my chakra and allows me limited access to your senses and memories. However, the nature of one being sealed within another allows for some…flexibility." **The kitsune smirked to himself before continuing.** "For instance, you needn't be the only human that makes up my prison. With the proper modification to the seal, another being could be added to the seals influence. "**

Naruto could hardly believe what Kyuubi was suggesting. Placing the same curse that he had lived his entire life with on Hinata…he needed time to think, and so he tried to buy that time with a question. _"And what's in it for you?"_

"**Quite simple kit… freedom," **the demon said with desire,** "Of a sort, anyway. A duel seal is much different than the single seal that traps me now. In a duel seal, you and her become points of focus that sustain the barrier around me. It is far more difficult to break the barrier than it is to simply break the single seal, however since I am sealed within both of you a small portion of me must be sealed outside both of you. With the correct application of chakra, this tiny thread connecting the two portions of my power can be given physical presence." **Naruto tried to take in all that he had heard, but he couldn't quite make sense of it all. What he did understand was that Kyuubi's suggestion meant partial freedom for the demon, and Naruto was hesitant to allow him that.

On the other hand…as dangerous as letting the nine tails out could be, he still had the power to save Hinata… **"You should hurry and decide, she doesn't have much time left kit."**

It was know that Naruto realized just how deeply Kyuubi had him trapped. Kyuubi was right, Hinata didn't have much time, and Kyuubi's way was the only way to save her. Naruto didn't have time to think and with another's life in his hands, Kyuubi knew exactly how Naruto would answer. _"What do I do?_"

"Excellent. Now expose the wound and clean away the blood…" 

Naruto did as Kyuubi instructed, carefully he opened Hinata's coat and cut away her shirt where it covered the wound. Sasuke's attack had entered near the small of her back and had gone straight through to the other side. Carefully he used his own coat to clean the blood from around the wound. Next he removed his own shirt and under Kyuubi's watchful guidance broke the seal on his belly with a kunai, then he slowly carved a new line into the seal's incantation. Finally using Hinata's own blood he scribed the new seal around her wound.

With the preparation done he let Kyuubi guide him through the relatively simple Sealing Jutsu that would reseal the seal Naruto had modified. As he finished the signs for the jutsu he placed one hand on the seal on his belly, the other he placed on the identical seal now scribed on Hinata. Just before his hand touched her skin Naruto wondered if he was doing the right thing or if letting her die might be the kinder fate, but by then it was to late. His hand touched her and he felt the jutsu take hold. On him the old seal shifted slightly to accommodate the new lines, on her the blood glistened for a second then sunk into her flesh forever.

Naruto felt exhaustion reach out to take him as Kyuubi moved his consciousness into Hinata. For a moment longer Naruto fought sleep as he watched Kyuubi began his work using his chakra to heal Hinata, Naruto watched as the fatal wound began to close. Satisfied that Hinata was safe with Kyuubi, Naruto lay back and let the blissful darkness claim him.

1-2-3

Thank you for joining me, and I hope you'll come back for the next chapter. Plz review, no flames, advice and honest opinions welcome. Begins hanging banners proclaiming the glory of Hinaruto (my word for NaruHina, don't steal, give credit)


	2. Awakenings and Explanations

Hark the herald muses sing, waiting for nothing, not rain, not sleet and sure as hell not trig homework.

I'm posting this chapter in honor of the American debut of Naruto. Here's to the hope that it doesn't suck.

BTW: I need the fallowing phrases translated (since I can't find a reliable translator online) Fire's Shadow (title), and Duel Fist (taijutsu style).

Disclaimer No Jutsu: I really shouldn't have to repeat this any more. I don't own it, never have, never will.

Awakenings and Explanations

1-2-3

Tsunade, 5th Hokage of Konoha was having a very bad day. No, make that a very bad week. _"No,"_ Tsunade thought ruefully, _"It's worse than that."_ Ever since she had let Naruto talk her into returning and taking the position of Hokage, her life had been a living hell, and the events of the last 72 hours were just the tip of the iceberg.

As Tsunade mused over just how horrible her job was, the door opened and her assistant Shizune stepped through carrying a tray. Tsunade let a huge sigh escape her lips as she viewed the tea set atop the tray. Three days ago, upon seeing the unconscious form of Hinata Hyuga, Shizune had made the decision that until Tsunade got the full story from Naruto, Tsunade would be denied all manner of alcohol. This came from the fact that Tsunade went through three stages when drunk - talkative, violent, and asleep - and since Tsunade didn't want Hiashi Hyuga to find out about his daughter yet, the talkative part was very bad.

Looking pleadingly into Shizune's smiling face, Tsunade asked the same question she had asked since Shizune had put a stopper on Tsunade's drinking, "Please, Shizune-sama, just one bottle of sake?"

To this Shizune replied simply, "Soon Hokage-sama." Setting down the tray she elaborated, "Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga woke up a few minutes ago."

A moment passed as Tsunade processed what she had just been told, then she was up and at the door in the blink of an eye. She turned briefly to Shizune as she opened the door, "I going to see them now." Closing the door, behind her she sprinted across Konoha with every intention of murdering the young shinobi who had made her life hell.

1-2-3

Naruto was the first to awaken. Feeling the sun on his face, he stirred slowly, blinking as he sat up. Looking around he recognized the cold sterile walls of a hospital bedroom. After a second, the memories of his fight with Sasuke and Hinata's injury came rushing back to him. As his thoughts drifted over his decision to save Hinata he wondered were she was. Suddenly he felt a tugging sensation in the back of his mind. Turning, he saw Hinata lying in the bed next to him. After a moment he felt another faint tugging, different then the first. This one seemed to originate from the seal on his stomach.

Naruto stared as a small patch of air shimmered over Hinata's chest. The shimmer quickly took on a red hue and folded into the shape of a fox. A few seconds later the fox shaped aura became solid and Naruto found himself facing a small fox sitting protectively atop Hinata. For nearly a minute they stared at each other before Naruto noticed the fox's unusually bushy tail. Upon closer inspection, Naruto saw that it was not one, but _nine_ distinct tails. Looking the fox straight in its familiar eyes, he asked aloud, "Kyuubi?"

Naruto watched a smile touch Kyuubi's eyes briefly before he answered. "Yes Kit, it's me."

Naruto fought back laughter as he looked at the chibi demon. "_That's_ your body?"

Kyuubi scowled at Naruto as he replied, "This is the best I could manage under the circumstances." Naruto continued to chuckle under his breath as Kyuubi went on, unruffled. "We have more important matters to deal with, Kit." He said gesturing to Hinata's sleeping form with his tails. "You have to explain to her what happened, before you let anyone else know. She has to understand what she's gotten herself into."

"But she's asleep." Naruto countered, not wanting to have to tell Hinata that, because of him, she now bore a curse. Standing up he moved further from Hinata's bed, and Kyuubi's scrutinizing gaze.

"I understand your feelings Kit." Kyuubi said sounding as if he really did understand, "but she has to find out sooner or later, and better it came from you than anyone else." With that he channeled a small bit of chakra into Hinata's mind, drawing her from the dream that she was in. Then he disappeared back into Naruto.

Slowly Hinata's eyes opened and she sat up. Glancing around the room her eyes settled on Naruto standing, shirtless, nearby. Quickly she dropped her eyes to the ground as crimson crept into her cheeks. Then something flitted across her mind, a shadow of a shadow of a memory. She reached out for it and quickly found herself buried under a torrent of memories. The Valley of the End came rushing back to her; Sasuke and Naruto looking like demons as they fought, their clashing attacks, Sasuke preparing to finish it, and then…then Naruto's face as he watched her take a fatal strike for him.

She looked up, fear filling her eyes and fright turning her face white. Finding his eyes, she found the truth written clearly in those no longer sparkling blue pools. "N-naruto-kun, what happened?" she asked in hardly a whisper.

Pain greater than anything Hinata had ever seen filled his eyes as he let his gaze drop to the floor as he moved to sit on his bed. "I'm so sorry Hinata." He whispered to himself before answering. "Hinata, what do you remember from the Valley of the End?"

"I remember you fighting Sasuke, then you passed out and he went to finish you. I remember running to you, then pain, and then nothing."

Looking up from the floor, Naruto couldn't help but look to where her belly was exposed because he had cut that part of her shirt off to get to her wound. _"To where the seal lies."_ he thought bitterly. _"Where do I start Kyuubi?"_

"**The beginning would be best Kit."**

And so with a heavy heart Naruto began, "Do you remember the story of the Fourth Hokage and the Nine Tailed Demon Fox?" When she nodded Naruto continued. "Unfortunately the story you know is only half the truth. The demon really did attack, but the Fourth didn't kill the demon. Instead he was forced to seal it inside a newborn baby boy, at the cost of his own life."

For a moment Hinata thought about that story and when it had taken place. "But, N-naruto-kun, if that w-were true then the boy would, be our age." When she said this Naruto flashed her one of his very foxy grins. Although it didn't touch his eyes it was enough for her to remember the aura he had had during the fight in the Valley of the End. An aura shaped like a great fox, she realized. Suddenly it all made sense. The hate she had always seen fill the eyes of the adults, her parents telling her to stay away from him, the pain that always filled his eyes. When the shock filled her eyes Naruto knew she had put all the pieces together. "It, it was…y-you wasn't it…"

He looked into her eyes and smiled sadly as he nodded his head. "For 13 years I've lived with the Kyuubi inside me. I first tapped into his power one year ago during a mission that nearly cost my team their lives. The next time I used the power was during the chuunin exam, when I fought your cousin Neji. When I trained with Jiraiya he showed me how to draw on Kyuubi's power at will. That power is how I defeated Sasuke." Now Naruto stood and still looking at Hinata he reached out to Kyuubi's power. Naruto closed his eyes for a moment as Kyuubi's chakra rushed through him. When he opened them again he heard Hinata gasp, his eyes where now blood red and had had slits for pupils like Kyuubi's. On his stomach the seal glowed red.

He let the power fade from him before sitting again. When he met her eyes again he almost smiled, in those silver orbs he saw not the hate that filled the eyes of others, but sadness for one who had survived a living hell. "Naruto-kun, how did you survive all the hate?" She whispered after a moment, then confusion filled her eyes and she brought Naruto back to the matter at hand. "What does this have to do with the valley?" The smile died on his lips as he remembered what he still had to tell her.

For almost a minute Naruto sat in silence trying to decide how to tell her the last part of their story. Just as the silence began to grow uncomfortable the door was thrown open revealing a very irate Tsunade and a slightly scared Kakashi and Jiraiya. As the jounin entered he closed the door and joined the others surveying the room much the way they would survey the site of a horrendous disaster.

Tsunade spoke first, "How much have you told her Naruto?"

Naruto shot Tsunade his first earnest smile since waking up, "She knows all about me and Kyuubi now, Tsunade-baba."

Tsunade wanted to strangle him but the deed was done and what she needed now was to find out what had happened at the valley. "Naruto, what happened after you fought Sasuke? I need to know the truth Naruto, the whole truth."

Naruto dropped his gaze to the ground once more as he nodded, he was out of time once again. When next Naruto spoke he spoke more to himself then anyone in the room. "I remember clashing with Sasuke then blacking out. When I came to, Hinata was already between us. I watched as Sasuke stabbed her with the Chidori," At this information Kakashi cursed under his breath. "Then he came for me. Somehow, somewhere I found the strength to beat him then. I would have killed him if I had had the time." Despite his startling statement Naruto's voice was dead.

"I gathered them up and went to where Hinata had been hiding. I was hoping against hope that someone had come with her. We were lucky that Sakura was there too. I gave Sasuke to her and told her to get help, but I already knew that the only help would have to come from within me. I told Kyuubi to heal Hinata, but he said he couldn't. She was beyond the seal and so beyond his protection. He told me there was only one thing that I could do…he told me the only way he could help her was if I split the seal." Naruto paused but there was no reaction, none of them yet understood the magnitude of what that meant, so he continued. "I didn't have time…_Hinata_ didn't have enough time for me to dwell on the decision…so I agreed."

Naruto looked around at the faces in the room. Each one wore an almost identical look of confusion, Hinata looked simply confused and maybe grateful that Naruto had done everything he could to save her, Tsunade looked more angry than confused, Jiraiya and Kakashi looked as if they were trying to see something hidden inside Naruto.

This time Jiraiya broke the silence, "What does the Kyuubi get out of saving Hinata?"

Naruto didn't answer, instead he waited as a crimson aura appeared and slowly folded into a human form. This time Kyuubi's form looked to be a man of about 20; he had compact build, like that of a well-trained runner. He wore a long rust red coat over black pants and a black shirt. On the back of the coat was the symbol for fox in gold surrounded by a golden circle, a second circle surrounded the first with a small band between them. Inside this small space were nine blood red flames. His hair was the same color as his coat and hung down to his waist. It was pulled up into a braid that split into nine separate braids. When Kyuubi turned to the Sennin and Jounin they could see the same whisker marks as Naruto decorating his cheeks, but it was his eyes that drew all of their gazes. For his eyes were understandably the eyes of a demon.

All three of the senior ninjas tensed, not aware that this was Kyuubi. Since most of his power was still sealed inside Naruto and Hinata his chakra felt like that of a high end Jounin. Hinata already being tense tried to tense further and shrink in on herself. She had felt something before this mysterious man had appeared. After a moment of surveying the room, much like a lord would survey his holdings, Kyuubi spoke. "So these are two of the great Sennin. Really Kit, I wonder what it is you see in them."

Tsunade drew herself up and faced the intruder. "And who are you to intrude on this meeting? Naruto is this one of your tricks?"

Kyuubi laughed a deep mirthless laugh. "Not at all, Tsunade-_hokage-sama_." He spat her title with every bit of sarcasm he could manage. "I am just the benefactor of these young shinobi." He smiled a wide foxy smile. "I am the lord of my kind, the Guardian of the Sacred Flame, and the terror of Konoha. I am the Great Nine Tailed Fox, Kyuubi."

The whole room was silent for an agonizingly long minute before Tsunade drew herself up again. She put on her best "I _am_ the Hokage" face and tried to stare Kyuubi down. "I don't care what you think you are but if you ever intrude on the business of the Hokage again I will personally see to it that you never walk the same way again!" She started forward towards the intruder who had insulted her, intent on physically removing him.

In the blink of an eye he stood behind her with a kunai pressed gently against her throat. "I would very much like to avoid bloodshed at this point. I have no qualms about killing you but Kit seems to favor your guidance and staying on good terms with him is high on my priority list." He whispered harshly to Tsunade. Letting the kunai disappear beneath his coat he turned to face the rest of the room. "Now since you're all obviously clueless about what it is Kit has done, I shall inform you so that I can finish my business here and leave."

Before Kyuubi could continue Jiraiya turned on Naruto, horror and shock filling his eyes. "YOU LET IT OUT! You let the Great Demon Fox free! What the hell were you thinking? Kakashi alert the ANBU I'll hold it off."

It was now Jiriaya's turn to have Kyuubi press a kunai against his exposed throat. "Do try to think before you open your mouth. If Kit had let me out completely both of them would be dead by know." Kyuubi said dangerously. He was really starting to dislike these Sennin. "And I've taken the liberty of shielding this room so there will be no leaving until we're done here." He added seeing Kakashi struggling with the door after failing to teleport. Once more replacing his kunai and moving to the window, he continued. "Now I trust there will be no further interruptions." He gave each of the three senior Nin a glare that assured they would stay quiet, at least while he was still here. "I showed Kit how to split the seal that contains me. Thus making it so that he was no longer the only vessel for my power. I am able to manifest this physical form by manipulating the thread of my chakra that connects my power stored inside Kit and the other half stored in the aforementioned other vessel." Ending his speech he looked around at the occupants of the room. For some time they sat in silence, Hinata and the three senior ninjas digesting the explanation that had just been handed to them.

"So, you're saying that Hinata has a seal on her, just like Naruto, and that's why you could heal her. But in return for that healing this new split seal allows you partial freedom?" Kakashi finally supplied, breaking the silence that infected the room. He had managed to recover from the initial shock and fright of finding Kyuubi free, and could see clearly enough that Kyuubi wasn't actually free, and wasn't going to hurt anyone.

Kyuubi smiled and replied. "Exactly. Now, if there are no more questions, I have matters far more important than educating shinobi to attend to." Turning one final time to Naruto, he nodded once. "Kit." He turned to Hinata and nodding again. "Kitten." As he spoke, Hinata heard his voice inside her mind. **"You need not fear me, Kitten. I protect my own."** With this final message he was gone. One moment he was there and the next all that remained of Kyuubi was a lingering crimson aura, and soon even that was gone.

With Kyuubi gone the room once more fell into silence. This silence dragged on as the stunned occupants struggled to come to terms with Kyuubi's declaration. The oppressive silence continued until the last person expected spoke.

"N-Naruto-kun…is, is it true? What he said...?" Although Hinata whispered, the utter silence that filled the room carried her voice clearly to every ear. After she spoke all eyes in the room turned to look at the person who had just broken the lovely quiet. Hinata felt their eyes on her and began to blush, but she kept her eyes fixed on Naruto until everyone turned to him waiting for his answer. Hinata knew somewhere deep inside her that it was all true, but a small part of her wouldn't believe it until Naruto told her.

Naruto refused to meet their eyes. Instead he stared at the floor. He didn't want to answer, they already knew the truth, but he still didn't want to tell them. He had never wanted this curse, and he had never wanted any one else to have to live with it. He hadn't wanted the decision. Why did he have to hurt the person who had saved his miserable little life? But he didn't have any more of a choice now than he did then. She deserved to hear the truth from him, and if she hated him for it then it was no more than he deserved for what he had done…but somehow if Hinata hated him, it would mean something more than all the hate of all the others in Konoha.

Finally Naruto lifted his eyes and met Hinata's. For a long time he simply stared into those pearly white eyes. Once more he was surprised by what he found there, it was not the unfounded hate he had know for so many years, it was something different; something Naruto had never seen directed at him before. "Hai Hinata, it's true."

As if his words had flipped a switch, Tsunade leapt into action. Rounding on Naruto, she prepared to take out her humiliation on the responsible party. "NARUTO YOU IDIOT! THINK ABOUT THE CONSEQUENSES OF HAVING THAT MONSTER FREE, EVEN A LITTLE! I'M GOING TO BEAT SOME SENSE INTO YOU, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" As she started towards him, Naruto could feel the murderous intent rolling off her. Jiraiya seemed to share her feelings and started after her, a sickening little smile on his face. Fortunately for Naruto, Kakashi decided to intervene.

Stepping in between the Sennin and Naruto Kakashi spoke in what he hoped was a calm voice of reason. "Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sama, perhaps we should find out Kyuubi's intent before we jump to conclusions and assume the worst." For a moment the Sennin struggled with Kakashi's logic, trying to find a loophole they could exploit, they really did want revenge for the whole escapade, but in the end, logic won out and Naruto was spared the beating of his life.

Turning to Naruto Tsunade spoke in a commanding voice that left no room for argument. "Stay here." Naruto only nodded, but Tsunade decided he looked sincere enough. Satisfied that he would stay put, she gathered Kakashi and Jiraiya up and led them outside.

As soon as she was gone an oppressive silence descended, once more, on the room. Naruto tried to place the look he had seen in Hinata's eyes. He was sure now, that he had seen it somewhere before. Meanwhile, Hinata found herself doing what she always did when she was with Naruto.

"Come on Hinata, its just four words. Four simple words. Naruto. I. Like. You." In the end she couldn't work up the courage and settled for something less. "Naruto-kun, thank you." 

At the same moment Naruto spoke up as well. "Hinata, I'm sorry." For the third time that day their eyes met and they lapsed into a collective silence. _"There's that look again."_ Naruto thought. _"Where have I seen that look before?"_

Once more Hinata was the one who broke the silence in the room. Acting on an impulse - much like the one that started this whole mess - she rose from her bed and crossed the short distance to where Naruto sat. Sitting down beside him she wrapped her arms around him. For a long moment Naruto sat stunned, then he found himself returning Hinata's hug. As he sat, content for the first time that day a single thought floated across his mind. _"She has forgiven me."_

In her mind Hinata once more told herself that next time she would tell him, but for now she was happy to remain in the embrace of the shinobi she admired most.

1-2-3

Crying in corner, rocking back and forth Oh, god. It could be so much worse, it could be so much worse, it could be so much worse. Oh DEAR LORD, IF ONLY HIS VOICE DIDN'T SUCK!

IMPORTANT NOTE: I need some translation help, if anyone could supply me with the proper translations for; Fire's Shadow and Duel Fist, I would be eternally grateful.


	3. Kyuubi's Legacy

Ok. It has been brought to my attention that this chapter was not up to my original standards. After swallowing my pride, wallowing in probably just a little too much self-pity I have to admit you're all right. So in the name of good fan fiction I've gone through and overhauled the offending scene. I'm much happier with it and I hope you will be too. Obviously I'll have to make some small adjustments to the next chapter expect those sometime 5/7/06 or at worst 5/12/06

1-2-3

Kyuubi's Legacy

1-2-3

Kyuubi sprinted through the forest dozens of miles from Konoha he was on his way to a part of the forest where man rarely tread. In fact to the best of his knowledge no one had come there in almost thirteen years. As he ran he thought about his situation and the situation of his two charges. The first thing that leapt to the forefront of his mind was his own mortality. He wasn't going to live forever, not now that he had been sealed inside a mortal. When they went he went with them. At least now that he had gotten Kit to spilt the seal he wouldn't just fade away. That had always frightened Kyuubi the most. Not that he would ever admit to anyone he was afraid of anything, the thought of just fading, of just slowly becoming less and less real frightened him to his core. He had always been a fighter, something he and Kit shared, and it wasn't in is nature to give up or just fade away. If he was going to die he was going to go down kicking and screaming in battle or he was going quietly at the top of the dog pile. Some might call this vanity, but Kyuubi wasn't leaving this world without a legacy that was for sure. And despite being know as a monstrous force of destruction he'd actually rather be know for making something with what little, relatively speaking, time he had left.

Now he turned his thoughts to that legacy he would make. Trapped as he was by the seal his options for his legacy were severely limited. There was however one very obvious outlet, his charges Kit and Kitten. Kit had a big dream, and even if she wouldn't admit it Kitten did too, but both would need help. Kit had confidence and drive, but couldn't control himself and wouldn't focus on anything except getting recognition, forcing people to acknowledge him; that and protecting his precious people. Kitten had control, but she lacked confidence.

In short they were perfect for each other. Kit could spark the fire in Kitten, and Kitten could temper the flame in Kit. If, of course, Kyuubi could get Kitten to come out of her shell. One didn't spend ten minutes, much less four days, in her head without discovering a very interesting fact: Hyuga Hinata very obviously harbored feelings for Kit. Kyuubi smiled ruefully as he recalled a few of the memories he had viewed while she had been asleep. Yes, if there was one thing he knew about Hinata it was that she was smitten by Kit, and he was perhaps the only one who didn't know. Her only problem was, once again however, confidence, something that Kit had in abundance, hence the attraction.

The question then of course became whether or not Kit would return Kitten's feelings, and this for Kyuubi as well as Kitten was a mystery. Kyuubi sighed, an annoying habit he had picked up from humans. If there was one thing Kyuubi knew about Kit it was that he hid his emotions well. So well in fact that even Kyuubi, a resident of the young boy's mind, had difficulty sorting it all out. It wasn't, however impossible, just difficult.

A few hours brought Kyuubi many miles closer to his physical destination and equally far in his mental pursuit. The hours of musing over Naruto's memories convinced Kyuubi of his course of action and his method of execution. Mentally tallying days he figured that had about two weeks before he could set his plan into motion. Satisfied with his choice Kyuubi let his mind wander as he ran, remembering days long past in an age that was now myth.

1-2-3

_? Years ago_

Kyuubi walked through the thriving village with a grim purpose. A simple Jutsu accommodated his travel through the narrow, for a demon of his size, streets. Yet even disguised as a human Kyuubi was easily recognizable to the citizens of the forest village. His robes were a flamboyant combination of crimson and gold trim, and the jet-black symbol on his back marked him clearly as none other than the lord of flames. If that wasn't enough his rust red hair and scarlet eyes could belong to no other.

As he walked through the bustling main street people on all sides greeted him warmly, calling out to him with broad smiles and kind words. It was almost enough for him to reconsider his decision, but no matter how well his clan was recived here or anywhere, the fact of the matter was simply that things couldn't continue the way they were. If they did, war was inevitable.

Picking up his pace he arrived at the base of a large cliff a few minutes later. Looking at it brought fond memories of his old friend's insistence that their images be carved into that cliff so that all could remember them. Kyuubi had always snorted and asked why any one would want to defile nature with his ugly mug. He smiled wistfully before steeling himself and entering the small building at the base of the cliff.

Inside a group of seven men sat around a table that was headed by a young looking man. A second glance however revealed something odd about him. Although he did indeed look young his face held an ageless quality about it and his eyes sparkled with the light of wisdom, wisdom far greater than that of someone so young. He was of course not as young as he looked and if someone where to inquire to his age he would calmly answer a spry two hundred and seventy three.

Kyuubi waited calmly for the meeting to end and when the final clan head had bowed out past him he turned and greeted his oldest human friend. "Your looking well today Honou no Kage-san."

The Kage snorted as he replied. "No thanks to your delinquent nephew." He averted his eyes for a moment before meeting Kyuubi's gaze with a stern look. "I've know you long enough Kyuubi to know when there's something you want to tell me, and it doesn't take a genius to guess that it's not good news."

Kyuubi nodded and smiled sadly. "We're leaving, all of us."

The old man nodded, offering the demon a hand. "I suppose it was inevitable wasn't it. Will you ever come back?"

Kyuubi clasped the outstretched hand. "Yes it was, and yes we will. Eventually. Take care of this place, we gave up a lot to keep it safe."

Nashio, first Honou no Kage, nodded and watched is old friend depart. Five years later Nashio died and an age truly came to an end.

1-2-3

Two days later Kyuubi reached his destination. Landing on the ground he could feel the demonic energy filling the air from thousands of years worth of barriers that kept this place safe from humans, and drifting in the midst of it all he could feel his own barriers and wards that he had placed on his den before he had left thirteen years ago.

Kyuubi stopped a moment and breathed in the rich forest air, laden with energy it seemed to speak of an age long dead. For Kyuubi this was home. Shifting to his fox form Kyuubi continued deeper into the forest towards his den. As he walked Kyuubi was fully aware of the alarms he was tripping. Ironic that being the lord of flames he could hear the alarms he was setting off, but because of the seal he was setting them off regardless. In his mind he began ticking off seconds, wondering how long it would take one of the sentinels to arrive.

At 198 seconds Kyuubi arrived at his den and shifted back to his human form. _"Hmm, sloppy."_ He thought as he slowly dismantled his barrier. At 316 seconds the barrier was down and his den was open, he entered slowly chiding the sentinels for their lateness. At 457 seconds three large kitsune entered Kyuubi's den with a deep unease. The leader had five tails and his two companions had three and two respectively.

Deep within his expansive den Kyuubi inspected everything from top to bottom, checking to make sure nothing was damaged or misplaced. Kyuubi let out a deep sigh as he entered a large room that served as a library. Every thing was just the way he left it, with the exception of a generous layer of dust that had settled on everything.

At 511 seconds the three sentinels finally stumbled upon the intruder in a chamber that had thirteen years prior severed as Kyuubi bedchamber. All three growled at Kyuubi now in his human form once more, sitting calmly in the middle of the chamber. All three moved to attack when Kyuubi summoned all the power he could safely gather and lifted his eyes to face the sentinels. Even though he was only able to draw a millionth part of his full power it was enough to stop all three kitsune in their tracks.

"Perhaps thirteen years has been too long, but really I haven't changed that much." Kyuubi said with an air of command and control.

All three kitsune recognized the voice and the aura of power left no doubts in their minds, the Lord of Flames had returned. Bowing deeply they all stammered an apology for the error. Kyuubi wrinkled his nose, as he smelt fear rolling off of them. _"Perhaps thirteen years really has been too long."_ Looking once more on the three kitsune Kyuubi revaluated his opinion._ "Or perhaps it has been too long since my clan lived with humans."_

"I have a message that you must deliver. I want you to tell Autumn-Tail and Rune-Tail that I have returned. Tell them that I will be watching the clan. Tell them to be ready when I call. Now go." The three Kitsune scampered off to do the bidding of their lord. Kyuubi waited until they were far away from his den before he carefully replaced the barrier. Once his task was complete he stood silently and headed for his library, there were things recorded there that he had to check before he returned to his charges. Things that were more ancient than even him.

1-2-3

Ino stepped out of the hospital in to the cold Konoha night. Feeling the cold night air against her skin she silently cursed forgetting her jacket. It was the beginning of winter and despite its name fire country played host to some rather cold winters. Dropping into a quick gait she let her feet guide her, turning her thoughts down other avenues.

Ino had just come from seeing the genin who had been injured during the mission to recover Sasuke from the sound four. Shikamaru had been released yesterday along with Kiba. Neji, Hinata and Naruto would be released tomorrow, but Choji still hadn't awakened and both remaining members of team 10 were beginning to worry more than a little.

Ino turned left again and barely registered that she was no longer heading towards her home but to that of a certain pink haired shinobi. A few minutes, two lefts and a right later, Ino's thoughts caught up with her feet. It had been a long time since she had seen Sakura, in fact she hadn't seen hide nor hare of Sakura since she had returned the night of the mission with Sasuke on her back saying something about Hinata needing help. Ino looked up from her thoughts and found herself staring at the house of one Haruno Sakura.

Ino sighed, this wasn't the first time she had come to the Haruno household since the events of that night, far from it. But each time before she had just stood there staring at the house and wondering if she should go in and talk to Sakura, and each time she had turned away leaving Sakura to what ever it was that troubled her. _"Not this time."_ She thought to herself walking up to the door and reaching for the bell.

Moments later the door was opened by Sakura's mother who took one look at Ino before practically dragging her inside. One look at the elder Haruno and Ino could tell she was on the brink of tears. Carefully Ino spoke to the obviously distraught parent. "What's wrong?"

Sakrua's mom was quick to explain the situation. Apparently after returning from the recovery of the genin, Sakura had given the Hokage a report on what had happened. Then she had come home and locked herself in her room, only coming out for the call of nature or when hunger drove her to raid the refrigerator. Whenever her mom had confronted her Sakura would mumble something about classified and no one understanding then go back to her room. Feeling guilty for not coming earlier, Ino agreed to help and soon found herself ushered up to Sakura's room.

Ino applied a subtle pressure to the lock pick and heard the lock click open. Grinning triumphantly she pushed the door open and heard a gasp escape her lips. Sakura's mom had said she looked bad, but Ino had never imagined how bad she meant. The lights were all off and the only light came from a small TV that sat on near the wall to Ino's right. The TV was muted as though the occupant of the room had just suddenly lost interest and hadn't cared to turn it off. All over the floor were discarded plates, bowls and cups; tissues were pilled on, in, and near the trashcan by the bed, which lay along the far wall. On the bed was Sakura looking decidedly worse for wear. She lay staring at the ceiling, her hair was a mess and her clothes looked like she hadn't changed them since she had returned. Her eyes looked to the ceiling with a dead gaze and her face was still streaked from where she had stopped crying hours earlier.

Stepping inside Ino closed the door and picked her way across the room. Sakura continued to stare up at the ceiling, oblivious to her friend standing over her. After a minute of waiting Ino spoke up in an uncharacteristically timid voice. "Sakura, what happened?"

Finally Sakura looked at her friend turned rival, a thousand emotions flashed through her eyes in an instant before she averted her gaze. Rolling over she faced the wall and resumed her staring. "Nothing, Naruto beat Sasuke and then stayed behind to help Hinata. You know the rest."

Ino bit her lower lip, thinking. She had seen the emotions fill Sakura's eyes in that brief moment. There had been, among others, hope, fear, indecision, and anger. Ino knew that Sakura was carrying a heavy burden even if she didn't suspect the half of it. She also knew she couldn't force it out. Slowly she turned and walked to the door, and pulled it open. Stopping, silhouetted against the hall light she spoke. "Sakura, I'm always here if you need to talk, you can tell me anything. When you're ready I'll still be here, but until then people are worried about you. You can't hide in here forever, you'll have to face it sooner or later."

With a final look back Ino left Sakura to her pain. For a long time Sakura simply stared at the ceiling, but slowly Ino's words broke through the haze. Ino was right Sakura realized, she couldn't hide here forever. _"But no one understands what I saw."_ She told herself._ "No one understands the nightmares I have about him, and no one ever will because Hokage-sama forbid me from telling anyone."_

Sakura lay for a while longer before a tiny voice in the back of her head spoke up. _"Naruto would understand, and he already knows so you can talk to him."_

"_But I've already hurt him, he wouldn't want to help me."_ This time the voice was silent.

Sakura lay on her bed for a few more minutes before drifting off into a fitful slumber. When she awoke it was early, she considered just lying there as she had since her return, but something made her get up. Ino was right and Sakura knew it. She left her room and tried to settle back into the routine that had been shattered by Sasuke's betrayal. It still hurt to think of him. Even after all she had seen, the cold way he had turned her down still hurt. Even after she had laid her heart bare he had still hurt her and time had only just begun to dull the pain.

An hour later she walked out of the house, leaving her mother a note. She set out into the nearly deserted streets of Konoha. As she walked she made up her mind, she would never be hurt like that again. She had cried for him and she still hurt for him or because of him, she couldn't tell. But now there would be no more tears. Slowly, with deliberate care she wrapped her heart in steel. She would be as cold as he had been because that was the only way to stop the pain.

The next time she spoke with her friends her answers were polite but distant, and they all seamed to understand her decision. They all had had to come to terms with the betrayal, and to each his or her own. This was her way, for her it was the only way. She had cried for him but she had no tears left. Never again, she promised herself, never again.

1-2-3

Naruto was bored. He was really bored. It had been three days since he and Hinata had woken up. When Tsunade had returned she had told them that they would stay in the hospital for another few days while she worked out the details. She had then told Hinata that although they were forbidden to tell anyone from their own generation about Kyuubi or the events after the Valley of the End, it was up to her whether or not she told her father about what Naruto had done.

So for the last three days they had been confined to their hospital room, with only the occasional visit from friends and teammates to interrupt them, and frankly that was the way they liked it. With only themselves in the room they didn't have to pretend to be injured and they could talk freely. For the first two days, in between visits from well-wishers, Naruto had told her a more complete account of his time with Kyuubi, including his fight with Gaara. She had had a lot of questions about what Kyuubi was like, and what it was like having him inside Naruto. Naruto had told her every thing he could about Kyuubi, but some things eluded him, such as why Kyuubi insisted on calling him Kit or her Kitten or his past before Konoha.

Near the end of the second day she had run out of questions and the conversation had turned to their pasts. His was simple and for the most part already known to her. Hers however was a complete mystery to him and quickly became the topic of discussion. At first Hinata had been reluctant to talk about her past, but once she started she found it easy to tell Naruto things she hadn't told anyone else. Naruto, for his part, managed noticed that she seemed more at ease around him that she usually did. She didn't stutter as much and blushed less.

Now it was the third day, almost a week since the events at the valley, and Tsunade had told them they would be released today. Now they were just waiting on Neji, who would be leaving at the same time. His wounds weren't absolutely healed yet, but both Neji and Hiashi had insisted that he be released to the Hyuga compound as soon as he no longer required hospitalization.

Naruto paced the room impatiently awaiting Neji's arrival; in contrast Hinata sat patiently on her bed once more in her traditional garb. "I wonder how much longer Neji-nee-san will be? It's been almost three hours since Tsunade-sama told us we could leave with him." Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but as if her words had summoned him, the door opened and Neji followed Tsunade in.

"TSUNADE-BA-CHAN!" Naruto cried, attempting to burn off some of his pent up energy.

As Neji joined the other genin, Hinata rose and bowed respectfully to Tsunade. "Hokage-sama."

Flashing a smile at the three young shinobi she began to address them. "Alright, the three of you are free to go, but Neji remember what I said about taking it easy for the next couple of days." Finally she walked over and handed Naruto and Neji each a small white envelop. "For the mission." She explained before leaving.

The three lingered a moment longer before leaving the hospital. At the entrance they parted ways, Neji saying that Tsunade would put him back in critical condition if she found out he hadn't gone home. Hinata was about to follow when Naruto spoke up.

"Hey, Hinata. Want to get something to eat? After all that hospital food I could sure go for some ramen. My treat."

Hinata blushed furiously, Naruto was asking her if she wanted to go for ramen, and he was offering to pay. That… that was… was like a date! She could hardly contain her joy.

Hinata wasn't paying attention, so she didn't notice the surprise that clouded Naruto's face. He had felt something strange. It was like when he felt Kyuubi's emotions, but it was different. When he felt what Kyuubi was feeling it was like waves emanating from his prison, and anyway, Kyuubi wasn't in his cage right then. Naruto hadn't felt Kyuubi since he had disappeared from the hospital room three days earlier. These emotions felt more like an echo. Naruto shrugged mentally and resolved to solve this mystery on a full stomach.

As Naruto completed his contemplations Hinata looked up, blush still staining her cheeks. "O-Ok."

Naruto smiled his biggest smile. "Alright, lets go." He said stabbing his finger towards the ramen shop.

1-2-3

Ten minutes later Naruto and Hinata walked into Ichiraku Ramen and took seats along the counter. Ichiraku greeted them warmly and took their orders. After placing his order Naruto looked around the shop at the other patrons. Sitting at a table a short ways away Naruto spied Ino and Shikamaru together. Ino seemed to be carrying on an animated conversation with somebody; however her only companion, Shikamaru, seamed to be ignoring her entirely. Waving to the pair Naruto called out. "Hey Ino, hey Shikamaru."

Shikamaru and Ino looked up and waved back. "Hey Naruto, hey Hinata." Hinata stammered a reply as Ino, who was done with her food, walk up and plopped down next to Hinata. As she did the ramen arrived and both Naruto and Hinata dug in; Konoha hospital's food was notoriously bad. After a few moments watching them Ino smiled and leaned close to Hinata. "So, have you told him yet?" she whispered to the other girl. Ino worked at her family's flower shop and so in addition to being well versed in the language of flowers she also recognized the signs of someone admiring someone else from afar. The fact that it was an open secret that Hinata liked Naruto didn't hurt either. Ino enjoyed teasing Hinata about it whenever she could and Hinata's response this time was the kind of thing that made it all worth it. Hinata, upon hearing Ino's words, came very close to choking on a bite of ramen. After she recovered she looked at Ino with crimson on her cheeks and shook her head.

Naruto hadn't heard Ino's words nor had he seen their effect, this was because once more he felt an echo of emotion in the back of his mind. The emotion had been different this time, embarrassment laced with fear and regret. He was really starting to wonder what was going on, and he wasn't the only one. Hinata's blush died as confusion filled her face; in the back of her mind she had felt the strangest thing. It was as if there was an echo of shock followed by confusion. Now in both teens confusion was growing, as ones confusion echoed to the other and only served to compound the confusion of the following echoes. Both Naruto and Hinata were trying desperately to make sense of what was going on when Naruto felt a familiar presence fill his mind.

Kyuubi returned to Naruto and Hinata and quickly used their memories to catch up on the past few days. When he reached the events of the past few minutes he quickly slipped fully into Hinata's mind, and broke down into a fit of laughter. **_"Five days, well I do believe that's a record. And given the way Kitten feels about Kit, this should make for some very good fun."_** As he mused Hinata and Naruto, both disturbed by the emotional echoing and curious about Kyuubi's absence the past few days, quickly finished their meal and excused themselves, saying that they had something they had to talk to the Hokage about. With that they dashed out of the ramen shop and made for team seven's training ground.

As expected the area was empty when they arrived. While Naruto waited for Kyuubi to stop hiding in Hinata's mind, Hinata was having a conversation with the nine-tailed one. **"You really should tell him Kitten. Before he figures it out for himself."**

Hinata "Eeped" verbally before replying. _"W-what d-do you mean? H-how do you know?"_

Kyuubi radiated pleasure at his new containers confusion and frustration. **"I mean before your emotions give it all away, and I can read your memories, that's how I know. Perhaps you'd like me to tell him for you."** Kyuubi said smirking. He didn't want to push them too much, and as such wouldn't go so far as to revel Hinata's precious secret outright; but that didn't mean he was above a little nighttime innuendo if it served his purpose.

Hinata meanwhile was becoming increasingly flustered. It was perhaps her greatest ambition to tell Naruto how she felt, but having it come out like this wasn't what she'd imagined. Honestly as convenient as it would be for someone else to reveal her secret, no matter how much easier it would be for Naruto to figure it out himself Hinata wanted nothing so much as to say those words to him. In the name of this goal Hinata worked up a great deal of her courage and steeled herself to face the being who was still very much a monster out of legend for her. _"K-Kyuubi-S-s-sama, please don't. I-I've been watching N-Naruto-kun for so long, I…I want to tell him myself."_

For a long moment Kyuubi considered Hinata's statement. Before breaking out into deep rolling laughter. It struck Kyuubi, once the Lord of Flames, Master of all Kitsune as infinitely amusing that this young human whom he had just recently decided would be the vessel of his legacy professed such love for Kit but was now defending her secret affection from him. Kyuubi could hardly contain his mirth from spilling over into Naruto's mind it was utterly absurd. Even in ancient times when he had walked among humans he had never seen anything as utterly pointless as this escapade.

Hinata, to her credit, did not quake, visibly, nor cry, out loud, upon hearing Kyuubi's booming echoing laughter rolled though her head. She managed to keep a tight reign on her fear and weather the metaphorical storm. Finally Kyuubi's laughter abated and he allowed that while he'd seen nothing quite this bad he had witnessed his share of love-induced chases, some more literal than figurative.

**"Very well, I won't tell him. But bare in mind Kitten that no matter how dense Kit is, after this you won't be able to hide anything for much longer."**

Hinata only barely checked a sigh of relief, _"A little longer is all I need."_

**"_I hope so Kitten, I hope so."_** Letting himself fill Naruto's mind as well Kyuubi prepared to smooth things over with his viscously confused container.

1-2-3

Far across Konoha, deep below the Hokage tower, Tsunade was preparing for a very different exchange. As she walked towards the door at the other end of the dimly lit stone chamber she could just make out the six ANBU guards currently on duty. Another dozen were off duty in the room she had just left, meaning that even if the six here were dispatched an escapee would still have to go through the other dozen, not to mention the entire Hokage tower. Tsunade shivered slightly from the cold and damp in the room as she reached the door. As she stepped into a pool of light five feet from the door, a pair of the ANBU stepped out, katanas at the ready. Tsunade raised her hands up and waited as the guards went through a series of seals, activating a ninjutsu to counter genjutsu illusions, or any other concealment of identity, and a second ninjutsu to remove anything that would control or affect Tsunade's actions.

As expected the ANBU found nothing out of the ordinary, but had to stifle a chuckle as the genjutsu Tsunade used to conceal her age dropped. Once they were satisfied that she was in fact the Hokage, she sighed and reformed the genjutsu. Moments later one of the guards finished unlocking the cell and pulled the door open. Steeling herself against what she knew she would find Tsunade crossed the threshold.

The door closed behind Tsunade and for a moment she simply stood and looked around the dank, gloomy cell. It had been constructed to hold the most dangerous criminals of the Leaf, and had only been used once before. After a moment's inspection to assure everything was where it should be, she turned to the cell's occupant. The young man sat with his back against the wall, his arms were spread out eagle and secured to the wall by heavy chains that started in the upper corners of the room and ended in what looked like solid cylinders of steel. In fact they were hollow and contained a gel, so when the cuff was closed over his hand and wrist it held his fingers immobile, so that even if he knew how he couldn't do any one handed seals. His feet were locked to the floor by a similar mechanism. His head was bent and his eyes were closed, but his breathing revealed to Tsunade that he was still awake.

"Uchiha Sasuke" Tsunade said with an air of command.

The hunched figure shook as he chuckled silently. He raised his head and opened his eyes, and looked Tsunade straight in the eyes. His eyes were, as they always were during her meetings with him, blood red and had three small marks around his pupil. He always activated the Sharingan when she checked on him, just to prove he could. Smiling, he spoke in a harsh whisper that echoed in the small chamber. "Hokage, you come once more. You flatter me, really. Do I really scare you that much?" He grinned wider. "Or have you come to try to convince me to give up trying to get away. It won't work. I told Naruto at the Valley of the End, and I'm telling you, I won't return once I get free. You can't hold me here forever, eventually I'll get out, and then," his eyes took on a hungry look, "When I do get out I hope Naruto comes for me, because this time I'll kill him, without that little bitch to protect him…" Sasuke's words were cut short as Tsunade's full-armed chakra enhanced slap took him in the side of the head. He heard the bones in his jaw crack again, and stars swam through his vision, but as Tsunade stalked out he smiled, he had won again.

1-2-3

AND THAT'S A WRAP PEOPLE. Ok before you all scurry off to review a few notes. In the last chapter I asked for some translations thank you to all that helped with that, but it has come to my attention that I asked for the wrong thing. I should have said I need the translation of _Dual_ fist not _Duel_ fist (see the crucial difference) and on further reflection I believe it would be more accurate to ask for **_Twin fist._** Thank you all for your help, until next time. Happy Nondenominational Winter Celebration.

Repost Notes: I'm still waiting on a Twin Fist translation. I've gotten one that's close, so I might use that. Also, Shadow Dance or Dance of Shadows. If I can get those I'll be set for a while.


	4. Good Enough

Ok, the update is done and the story's back on track.

This Chapter is dedicated to ModCow who hates my beta.

Good Enough

1-2-3

Hinata Hyuga awoke slowly. Rising, she moved to the window of her bedroom in the Hyuga mansion. Looking into the still darkness of early morning she waited, as she did whenever she could, for the first rays of dawn. It was a habit she had acquired sometime after becoming a genin. During a training exercise her sensei had taken her cell on in the mountains several miles northeast of Konoha, Hinata had been smitten by the beauty of the sunrise. She smiled as the first rays of dawn peaked above the horizon, as she watched the rising sun her thoughts drifted to her own sun, one that shone so brightly he made even the beauties of the dawn seem drab.

As her thoughts drifted over her sunshine she felt the now familiar tug in the back of her mind drawing her eyes steadily northward until they stopped and she knew that if she were to activate her Byakugan and set her gaze in that direction she would find a sleeping Naruto about a two and a half miles away. Hinata smiled again at this knowledge, the knowledge that wherever he was, Hinata could find him.

It was two weeks since they, along with her cousin Neji, had been released from Konoha hospital. Two weeks since an awkward situation had almost forced Hinata's secret affection for Naruto out into the open, she daily thanked a number of Kami that Kyuubi had come to her aid. Two long weeks of keeping a tight reign on her emotions lest her secret escape before she was ready. Two blissful weeks of spending almost every waking moment with Naruto, a dream come true if ever there was one. Hinata knew in fact that there time together had actually been predominated by training with Kyuubi, but that was a fact the young Hyuga found easy to ignore, since the time had felt much more like time spent with family that time spent with a sensei and teammate. Hinata sighed as she remembered what Kyuubi had told them before training had started.

1-2-3

Two Weeks Earlier 

It had been a few short hours since Kyuubi's return and Hinata's near break down. Along with Naruto she was sitting atop the carved face of the Fourth. Hinata was talking easily for the first time in memory, thanks in part to no small amount of coaching by the surprisingly considerate demon. They were talking about this and that, things of no consequence when they had felt the first stirrings of the demon within them. Hinata eeped at the still unfamiliar feeling and Naruto laughed good-naturedly.

Kyuubi awoke from his nap with a deafening yawn that echoed though the young shinobis' heads. Both tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress their laughter as the image of 'the Great Terror of Konoha' yawning sleepily passed though their heads. A moment later they felt the telltale pull of Kyuubi manifesting himself. Seconds later they found them selves facing Kyuubi, mighty and powerful chibi. Kyuubi's chosen form quickly had Naruto on the ground in another fit of laughter; Hinata on the other hand saw fit to tell Kyuubi how cute he was. This, more than Naruto's laughter, annoyed Kyuubi to the point that he muttered some well-chosen curses in his native tongue and shifted to a more mature version of his fox form.

After his laughter subsided Naruto was the first to speak turning to Kyuubi he voiced the same question Hinata was thinking. "So, baka kitsune, where have you been the past few days?"

Despite the insult Kyuubi only smiled at Naruto. "I was checking up on my den. It's been thirteen years since I left and I wanted to check if the wards I had placed were still standing. Also I wanted to see how my clan was faring." He paused a moment before his smile dropped and they could tell he was about to tell them something important. "But now that my clan knows that I'm back, in a sense, there are certain things I feel you should be aware of. There is a long history of which humans are now unaware, by freeing me even as much as you have you may have stepped into the world of Demons at least a little." Kyuubi locked the two humans with a very grave stare. "Kitsune will inevitably come to you seeking to speak with me. For this reason I feel you should know the history of our peoples. It will be important that you aren't ignorant in this matter when you deal with other demons." With this Kyuubi sat down and waited for his charges to settle themselves before beginning.

"Demons have lived in this world for countless thousands of years. For a time the nine great demon clans fought for control, but in the end the elders of each clan realized that the ceaseless war would gain us nothing. And so each clan elected their greatest, wisest member to represent them on a council of demons that would rule over all. I was chosen to represent the Kitsune, and took my place amongst my eight fellows. For centuries untold we ruled with wisdom, then came the first humans. Where they came from I don't remember, but they quickly became a divided topic amongst the members of the council. Four members argued avidly for the destruction of the weak mortals, another four argued that the mortals had a drive not seen amongst the immortal demons and that this drive, this passion, gave them the potential to be great allies." Kyuubi waited here for the inevitable question.

"What side were you on?" Naruto asked a split second ahead of Hinata's question.

"Allies against what?"

Kyuubi flashed them a foxy little grin before answering. "Neither, and that is a story for another time. By the time this matter came to us I had ascended to the head of the council and so I listened as my fellows argued their points for or against the humans. For three years all demons were ordered to keep their presence hidden form the primitive beginnings of human civilization, as the council deliberated. Of course many disregarded this order and saw fit to torment the flowering peoples. Finally I cast my vote for the humans."

Taking a deep breath Kyuubi sighed before continued in a slightly subdued voice. "It was the right decision to make, of that I am still sure, but there is no denying the torment it would cause in the centuries to come. Once I cast my vote the four that had fought against the humans immediately split from the council, taking their clans and many other minor clans with them. The rest of our clans came to the humans and with our guidance they flourished. For a few short decades we taught the humans and found them, as predicted, possessing a drive and determination that made them great students." Again Kyuubi paused and when he began again his voice carried a note of sadness. "It could not last. Fifty years after we first came to the humans, the demons that left the council attacked the five remaining clans and our allies. For more than 500 years we fought, but slowly we were pushed back. As the last hope of victory seemed to fade, a great leader rose up from the humans of a remote village in the Kitsune territory. From the village that would one day be know as Konoha, Nashio Uzumaki came to me with a solution."

Kyuubi watched with a silent amusement as the eyes of the shinobi before him bulged in their sockets, shock painted across the young faces that seemed so familiar. "Y-You mean you knew my ancestor?" Naruto finally stammered, the sheer scope of the implications shocking him to his very core. That his ancestors could have fought beside not just demons, but Kyuubi personally amazed him. That Kyuubi could provide some clue to his family was more than Naruto could possibly hope for.

When Kyuubi spoke again he sounded like he was remembering something far more pleasant than a half a millennia long war. "Yes, I did. He came to me and after much time convinced me that if his people could play a greater role in the war, then we would have a chance. And that was how the first Honou no Kage, Fire's Shadow, was born. Together we developed a style of Ninjutsu that a human could wield with a demon's aid, and no I won't teach you it." Kyuubi finished before Naruto could even open his mouth. "Along with us each of the other four elders chose a human and developed their own style. It took ten long years to develop the styles, ten years during which our forces suffered greatly for the elder's absence. But when they were done and unleashed upon our foes, the five sacred styles, as they would come to be called, made it all worthwhile. With any one of the styles linking them, a single elder and their human companion could decimate an entire army of lesser demons. Over the next five years we routed the rebels and reformed the council of nine, now actually fourteen with the addition of five humans. At last peace was found."

For a moment there was silence before Hinata spoke up. "If you were allies with us then why did you attack Konoha?"

Kyuubi looked surprised by the question, but after a moment he answered with a sad smile on his face. "When we found peace it was almost three thousand years ago. After a few centuries the inevitable began to happen, your expanding civilization began to unknowingly force us out. Demons were declining and humans were on the rise. By the time we realized it there was nothing short of all out war that we could do, so by unanimous decision the council of nine decided that the demons would withdraw. Eventually there would be a place for us again, and being immortal, we had nothing if not time. And so we withdrew from the world, taking the sacred styles with us, and soon we faded from the memories of mortals and became legend, then myth. Two hundred years ago we nine awoke to find a very different world then the one we left. Some of us were outraged that we had been forgotten after all we'd done for you and struck out against the humans, three others and myself stayed hidden. Over the next two centuries the five that struck out and two of those that didn't were captured and sealed, much like I was."

He paused a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing in a somber tone. "Thirteen years ago a young shinobi of the leaf who had discovered the stories of the great demons and the power they kept hidden, it didn't take long for the rumors of demons in other countries to inspire him to seek me out. He found me, and out of respect for the old treaties I granted him an audience. When he came, he tried to first convince me to give him my knowledge, and in the end, demanded that I serve him. Young Orochimaru barely escaped with his life. Orochimaru wasn't one to leave well enough alone though; during his escape from our territory he killed my child and a number of young kitsune. Knowing what I know now I can only assume he either wanted his revenge against me for my refusal, or he'd decided to see if I would accomplish his dirty work for him and destroy Konoha. Faced with the deaths of half a dozen clan members, not to mention my own child, I wanted nothing more than to personally escort Orochimaru into the deepest depths of hell. Lacking him I thought his home village would be the next best thing." As he continued Hinata thought she saw a tear forming in one of Kyuubi's eyes. "The ninja of Konoha fought bravely, the old blood still thick in their veins, but it was futile they lacked the old slaying techniques. It seemed that I would have my bloody vengeance until the Yondaime Hokage came to fight me with a tiny babe in his arms. This is my true history, and the gift I give to you this day." After a tense moment Kyuubi spoke again, his voice far light than at any point during his tale. "But now is no longer the time for stories, now is the time to train."

Kyuubi stood, let his shape fold into that of a human and began to address them once more, bowling over any and all resistance. "You are connected by a thread of my chakra, it connects the two halves of my power contained within the two of you. You have seen that I can manipulate that thread, but I am not the only one, you've already felt rather then seen that your emotions travel along the thread. Now I will teach you how to do more." Both of Kyuubi's 'students' sat rapt, Hinata waiting to learn more about her strange bond with Naruto, and Naruto ever eager to learn new techniques.

1-2-3

Thereafter, for the last two weeks Hinata and Naruto had trained under Kyuubi, learning how to manipulate and exploit the chakra thread that connected them. It had taken some getting used to; learning from the most feared entity in Konoha's history, but Hinata had quickly found that Kyuubi was not at all the cold heartless monster she envisioned. He praised their hard work and success and to their failures gave encouragement and confidence that success would come. In fact, Kyuubi had begun to remind her of her father…before her mother's death had frozen his heart and stolen his smile.

Kyuubi had taught them how to use the thread for many things such as finding each other, or feeling with the other's senses, which Naruto had begun learning only two days earlier. Hinata, on the other hand, had far better skills in the precise chakra control that was required and had moved on to the most advanced ability, sending actual speech, three days prior.

Hinata watched the sun, which was now fully above the horizon, a moment longer before moving to her dresser and pulling on some clothes. Loose navy blue pants and a black T-shirt like always. Over this she pulled on her 'new' coat, it was basically the same as her old one but Kyuubi had insisted that she get one alteration. It was a nine tipped black flame outlined in gold and surrounded by a double ring of gold, between the rings a phrase in a language Hinata didn't recognize. It was placed on her left shoulder opposite her clan symbol, though Kyuubi had withheld the meaning, saying only it was important. He had made Naruto get one on his jacket as well. As she tied her hitai-ate around her neck she felt Kyuubi stir, and moments later annoyance echoed across from Naruto when Kyuubi woke him. Smiling, Hinata reached out with her chakra and with intense care plucked the thread that connected her to Naruto, sending a message.

"_Ohayo, Naruto-kun. Ohayo Kyuubi-sensei."_

Joy echoed from Naruto and a moment later Kyuubi relayed Naruto's words, along with his own greeting**"Ohayo, little one, and Kit says good morning also."**

After a minute or two a clear chime sounded from the depths of the Hyuga compound, signaling breakfast would soon begin. Hinata stood and still talking with Naruto and Kyuubi made her way to the dinning hall. Once there she took her place next to her sister at the table. During the meal she had to concentrate very heavily to keep the idle conversation of the table separate from her conversation with Naruto and Kyuubi. Near the end of the meal as Hinata was waiting patiently to be excused to go, so she could meet Naruto and Kyuubi at the Hokage monument, her father, who hadn't seen her over the last two weeks much more than at breakfast and dinner confronted her. "Hinata, how have you been these last two weeks?"

To say that the question startled Hinata was a massive understatement; it took all her control to keep a calm face and answer. "I have been training, father."

"Really?" Hiashi said, suspecting that his daughter might be withholding something. "Well than perhaps we should see if you've improved any. Hinata, Hanabi meet me at the north training grounds in ten minutes."

Both girls answered with a quick "Hai, father" and left the room moments later after their father.

Ten minutes later Hinata and Hanabi stood facing each other on the North training grounds. Their father was seated a short distance away watching. At his signal they bowed to him, then each other, and began. Both girls began with the blood limit of the Hyuga clan, their hands flashing through seals in unison they called upon the Byakugan. Hinata let her vision sweep over the entire courtyard before settling on her sister, falling into the same stance that her sister was taking, she prepared to face her sister for the first time since she had taken the title of heiress from Hinata. Hanabi attacked Hinata with a fury of open palmed blows seeking to cut off Hinata's vital tenketsu. Hinata on the other hand fought defensively, unsure if she could defeat her younger, but more powerful, sibling.

They had been fighting for almost a half an hour when Hinata felt Kyuubi fill her mind and begin to watch the fight through her eyes, moments later she felt the familiar brush of Naruto's mind as he too looked in on the fight. The arrival of their presence caused Hinata to drop her guard for a moment, as she did Hanabi gathered a huge strike in her left hand and surged forward, intent on ending the fight. Hinata saw her incoming opponent and prepared her chakra to defend herself from the blow, but as she did an image of her flashed through her mind. Reacting to the thought that was not her own, Hinata dodged the strike and grabbed Hanabi's wrist and pulled her forward, exposing her back. As Hanabi's momentum carried her forward Hinata struck her on her left shoulder, sending chakra into her opponents system and damaging the path into her arm. Hanabi spun to face her sister with a baleful glare. Flexing her arm she tried to circulate her chakra, but found the chakra in that arm wild and unpredictable. If she used it she could easily hurt herself more than Hinata. Glaring again, she rushed forward, intent on wiping away the shadow of a smile that came to Hinata's face.

Hinata couldn't help but smile a little; Kyuubi was with her in this battle. Meeting her sister's attacks head-on, she fought with a new vigor and confidence. For another five minutes they traded blows, Hinata landing three blows on her sisters injured arm, which she was now using as a shield. Hanabi landed a few minor blows on Hinata's limbs but couldn't land a blow with enough power or precision to deal any real damage. Then Hinata saw an opening, as Hanabi settled from a particularly vicious assault Hinata struck. She dropped to a crouch and swept her foot along the ground forcing chakra into the ground as her foot moved across it. As she finished the sweep the chakra in the ground caused it to explode upward. Although it caused no damage to her opponent, nor did it hamper her Byakugan enhanced sight, it startled Hanabi, and caused her to drop her guard. Stepping close she grabbed Hanabi's right hand and forced chakra into it, severing the flow to her hand. Drawing Hanabi closer Hinata struck a precise blow under her sister's right shoulder severing the flow to the whole arm. Releasing the useless appendage she reached under to strike a heavy blow into Hanabi's midsection. Then she placed her free arm behind Hanabi's neck, pushed her over and drove her to the ground. Landing with one knee atop her sister she placed her chakra charged fingers at the back of Hanabi's head. A killing blow. She held that position until her father clapped once signaling the end of the match. Standing she helped her furious sister to her feet and bowed to her before turning, bowing to their father and waiting for him to speak.

A minute passed before he spoke. Turning to Hanabi, he said in a cold voice, "Your form was sloppy, both of you. You allowed your opponent too many openings. Hanabi, you need to work harder. This is the worst I've ever seen you perform." After that short exchange he rose and dismissed them.

Hinata's shock at the brusque dismissal and lack of recognition was clear to the other two who shared the moment with her, and was mirrored by Naruto's own shock. As she turned stiffly from her father and left the training grounds Kyuubi spoke in a comforting voice. **"Well fought Kitten, you did excellently. Kit sends his congratulations as well."**

Hinata smiled briefly as she reached the gates of the Hyuga compound. When she responded it was in a stiff voice laden with sadness barely contained. _"Thank you both."_ As soon as she was outside the gates she sprinted off towards the Hokage monument as fast as she could.

1-2-3

For the second time that day Hinata found herself deep in a fierce battle. As soon as she had reached the Hokage monument Kyuubi had led her and Naruto deeper into the forest. A few miles in he had constructed a chakra barrier that masked their chakra and hid them from view. Then he had had Naruto show her how to access the power contained within her. At first she had been frightened by the demons power, but now, almost four hours later, she found that she could revel in this power. She could let it sweep her away and let it bury her in her frightening new senses. When she did, she didn't have to think about the world outside the fight or anyone but her companions, she could lose herself in the moment.

Hinata stood in the middle of the area Kyuubi had set aside and let her kitsune enhanced Byakugan scan the entire dome almost a mile across. Her appearance had taken on the same feral touches that Naruto always obtained when he drew on Kyuubi's power. The one notable difference were her eyes, which, having no pupil, were completely blood red. Her scan fell upon Naruto high in the branches above her she watched as he executed yet another Kage Bushin no Jutsu, and sent two dozen clones after her.

As the clones landed she fell in to a crouch and swept her leg around her in a full circle, charging the ground as she had during her fight with Hanabi. A moment later the ground in a huge circle around Hinata erupted in a shower of dirt and rocks. Her maneuver stalled the clones in their tracks and allowed her time to dispose of them. Moving through the group she tapped each one, destroying them with a small pulse of chakra. As the dust settled and two-dozen puffs of smoke cleared, Naruto jumped down from the branches and smiled at his sparring partner. "Lets call it a day Hinata." He suggested, breathing heavily after the long mach.

Hinata turned to him slowly and met his gaze. She did not want to stop, because as soon as they stopped she had to go back to the cold reality of her life beyond this place, without her precious people. She charged Naruto and threw everything she could at him. Naruto was shocked at Hinata's fury and quickly found himself on the run from her chakra-enhanced blows. She threw everything she could into her blows, causing the chakra to extend far beyond her hands; her blows rent limbs from trees and sent gouts of earth into the air whenever she missed. Naruto continued to dance around her blows until in frustration she turned from him and put all her fury behind one two-handed blow. The attack connected with a tree a few feet from where she stood. The attack passed right though the trees thick trunk exploding out the other side in a shower of splinters and sap. The impact sent cracks spider webbing up the side of the tree and into the ground at its base. Hinata fell to her knees exhausted, her shoulders moved rhythmically up and down.

Naruto stared at her for a moment before the first wave of agony, grief, and misery echoed to him from Hinata. Only then did he realize that silent sobs wracked her body. In an instant he was at her side, he knelt down beside her and held her close as he tried to comfort her. As he held her, he heard her voice speak in the barest whisper. "W-why…Why can I n-never be strong enou-enough for him? No matter how hard I fight will he always see me as a failure, or at best a disappointment? Isn't it enough that I try? I just wish there was a way I can make him smile again…just once I'd like Hanabi to see him smile, just once." Naruto listened as Hinata poured her heart and soul out to him.

For a long moment Naruto didn't know quite what he should do, the situation was a first for him. The only thing that came close was Sakura's plea to bring Sasuke back, and somehow this seemed different. After a little prompting from Kyuubi he sat down beside her and pulled her closer, speaking softly to her. "Don't worry Hinata, we will always be here for you. Kyuubi and I will never leave you, and you know we will always acknowledge your strength. If that old man is too blind to see the truth, than maybe it's not worth showing him. Hinata, let's make a promise, we'll never be alone again…never."

1-2-3

Several hours later when Hinata returned home, she showed no sign of her actions in the forest. She walked tall and held her head proudly. Within her she held her love (for if she had ever been unsure that it was love she would never be again) and her teacher, and no one could ever take them away. When her father spoke, she listened. When he addressed her she answered and called him father, but somewhere deep within Hinata, she knew she would never truly call him father again. In her eyes he was just another obstacle holding her back from what she now knew she could be.

1-2-3

Ok there you go, and I know I've said this before but I really mean it when I say I'll try to have the next one up sooner.

P.S. ModCow she hates you too.

Oh and check out my little sis's profile Mistress of Azure


	5. Another Team 7

All right then Chapter (checks) Five…Holy Hell. Chapter Five already, though I'm sure it doesn't seem like already to you all. Well for those of you who aren't aware I've gone back and fixed my screw up in chapter three. I'll try to stay on the straight (relatively) and narrow from now on.

Another Team 7

1-2-3

Hyuga Hiashi paced his study, his mind far from the political matters and clan affairs that cluttered his desk. His thoughts drifted over his older daughter and her actions today. At breakfast she had been distracted and when confronted about it, Hiashi had detected hesitation in her voice. That coupled with the unusual response and the look in her eye left no doubt in his mind that his eldest was hiding some thing from him. Of course this hadn't been his first hint that something was amiss, no, the first hint he had had came from the Hokage herself. The day before Hinata and Neji's release the Hokage had come to him with a request to refrain from questioning Hinata about the events that had led to her hospitalization. An odd request to be sure, but one he had honored none the less. Now it was nearly midnight, barely 2 hours after Hinata's return home, and Hyuga Hiashi was beginning to wonder if he should have questioned his daughter on the events of the past few weeks despite the Hokage's request.

When Hinata had returned home late Hiashi had had her brought to his study, once there he had asked her why she was late. Once again she had told his she was training, and when pressed about whom she was training with she had told him Uzumaki Naruto. It was odd enough that she had been training with the demon child since he wasn't even on her teem, but the way she had spoken had startled the clan head more. She had been formal, more formal than she had ever been before. Normally she stuttered and spoke quietly, eyes downcast. Today she had spoken clearly, no not just clearly, coldly. Her voice had been chilling and quite frankly unsettling coming from his 'weaker' daughter. It had been like looking at a whole new person.

Another half an hour brought Hiashi to the conclusion that having Hinata fallowed when ever she left the compound would bring him the answers he wanted without violating the Hokage's request. Hiashi smiled as he left his study and headed for bed. He was confident that Hinata's dark little secret, what ever it was, would be dealt with before the next sunset.

1-2-3

Tsunade was having a wonderful time. She was in a casino, gambling and drinking, and best of all she was wining and nothing bad was happening. It was really quite pleasant, no Kyuubi, no Orochimaru, no Jiraiya, no Naruto, and no…

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

Tsunade growled and reflexively lashed out with her fist. When she met air she slowly opened her eyes and found her office empty. _"So they're learning are they?"_ She thought making a mental note to put a soundproofing technique on her office next time she went to sleep.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

Tsunade growled again as she spoke. "Yes, yes, come in already."

A moment later the door opened and a pair of Jounin walked in, carefully keeping their distance. "Hokage-sama." The intoned together, bowing deeply.

"Yes, what is it."

"A patrol had reported finding an unsettling sight a few miles outside the village. We thought you should see."

Tsunade grumbled loudly but allowed the Jounin to lead her out of her office and towards the Hokage monument. A half an hour latter they came upon a scene of destruction. Everywhere in a mile wide circle havoc had been wreaked, trees had holes and cracks as often as not, and in some cases a dozen or so holes where what could have been kunai and shuriken passed clean thought the trunk. In places moss covered boulders were reduced to rubble or used as projectiles.

Tsunade continued to survey the site until she came to the center of the area where a huge circle of ground had been violently disturbed, leading away from the circle was a trail of broken branches and wide gouts in the ground. At the end was a tree that had been completely gutted.

Staring at the sight one of the Jounin leaned over and quietly asked Tsunade. "Was it the demon child?"

Sighing Tsunade put the Jounin to sleep as only a speeding bus, or the Fifth Hokage, can. Turning she left the unconscious ninja to sleep and headed back to the Hokage tower, thinking she knew exactly who was responsible.

1-2-3

An hour latter Naruto and Hinata stood before a very irate Tsunade. Upon returning to the Hokage tower Tsunade had ordered the two brought to her. Now she just sat behind her desk looking at them, letting them stew in their guilt. Finally she decided they had had enough and it was time to get down to business. "Would the two of you care to explain why you felt it necessary to tear up half the forest behind the Hokage monument instead of going to one of you're teams training areas?" Tsunade had a good idea why, but felt she should confirm her suspicions before punishing them.

In unison the two genin whispered. "Kyuubi-sensei wanted us to train using his power."

Tsunade was slightly taken aback at the response. First off, Naruto rarely if ever spoke in a whisper, and second, Kyuubi-sensei. She had already guessed that they had sparred using Kyuubi's power, that was the only thing short of a summon that could cause that amount of destruction. There were certain things she didn't know, such as how no one could have noticed a battle of that magnitude until after it was over. But that wasn't at the forefront of her mind just now. "Kyuubi what!"

Hinata fought back a smile as an image Naruto and Kyuubi lying dead on the office floor while Tsunade strangled her passed through her mind. _"She's not going to kill us Naruto-kun."_ Hinata 'said' more than slightly amused at the suggestion. Naruto had just learned how to send rough images, a precursor to speech, yesterday after their 'little' sparing match. A complicated combination of amusement, pity and exasperation echoed from Naruto that Hinata knew was roughly the equivalent of a shrug and a 'you don't know her like I know her' look.

Neither of the Genin moved or gave any indication that the other was sitting next to them, but without missing a beat they both replied at exactly the same time and in exactly the same tone. "Kyuubi-sensei has started teaching us since our regular teachers are busy and our teams are preoccupied or half gone. He asked us to call him Sensei."

Now Tsunade was less mad and more curious, but she was still mad. "Alright then get the blasted fur ball out here! I want to have a little word with your Sensei!" Tsunade's voice was menacing and she added to the effect by cracking her knuckles loudly. The result, however, was less than spectacular. Naruto looked a little shaken, and Hinata's eyes widened slightly trace amounts of fear passing through them, but then it was gone as their eyes glazed over slightly and lost focus.

"_Kyuubi-sensei,"_ Hinata said standing in front of the massive form of Kitsune no Kyuubi. She was in her mindscape now or rather in the collective mindscape the seal created. _"You need to wake up. Hokage-sama wants to speak to you."_

"_He's not going to wake up if you don't speak up Hinata."_ Naruto said appearing behind her.

Hinata sighed but knew that Naruto was right; Kyuubi was a very heavy sleeper. _"On three then?"_ Naruto suggested indicating the small silver bracelets around their wrists. In this mindscape Kyuubi was no longer caged as he had been when sealed within only Naruto. Instead his mental form was bound to the bracelets that the two of them wore. They were connected to a massive silver collar around Kyuubi's neck. Hinata and Naruto could alter the length of the chains between the bracelet and caller at will and no matter how hard Kyuubi pulled he could not make them budge if they chose to stand still.

Hinata nodded knowing that even if they yelled it was very unlikely that Kyuubi would awaken any time soon. Neither of them was willing to get closer to the demon and try, Kyuubi reacted to being woken up about as well as Tsunade.

Naruto nodded and took a deep breath before starting the count, _"One… two… three!"_ As he yelled three both of the young shinobi concentrated on the chains shortening by half. As soon as the desired effect was reached both shinobi retreated from the mindscape to the safety of their respective heads.

"**Do you have to do that EVERY time you want to talk to me?**" Kyuubi screamed at both shinobi as soon as he collected his wits after being rudely awoken.

"_Yes."_ Naruto said simply.

At the same time that Hinata replied. _"Hokage-sama wanted to speak to you."_

"**Oh, is that so?"** Kyuubi said easily finding a new target for his rage in the Sennin.

At that very moment that same Sennin was watching the two shinobi with great interest. _"What has that fox been doing with them? It's only been a couple of week and already Hinata is warming up to him, and she's not nervous around Naruto any more. And speaking of Naruto, what's up with him? I've never seen him so quiet, except when he's depressed and he's definitely not depressed right now, I'd know if he was."_

A moment later Kyuubi appeared in his human form just behind Tsunade. "What do you want hag?" Tsunade's eyes narrowed before she swung around and tried to punch Kyuubi through the wall. But by the time she had turned around Kyuubi had already dropped his form and reappeared behind his students. Tsunade growled as she turned to face the fox and his students.

Taking a deep breath she calmed herself, she really didn't like Kyuubi. Even if he wasn't a threat to the village anymore Tsunade would give a good many things to see him hurled to the deepest depths of Hell. "What is it exactly you've been teaching them?" she said trying to keep the malice out of her voice and failing miserably.

Kyuubi smiled and before he responded contacted the two genin in front of him. **"Stay quiet, let me handle her."** Then he spoke, " O, nothing much. A few little tricks here and there, nothing of consequence to you." Kyuubi sounded quite indulgent, as though he was giving Tsunade a privileged insight into his designs.

Tsunade was livid; she wanted this fox dead and never mind that he was already technically dead. "A FEW TRICKS." She screamed before continuing in a more normal volume though her words dripped with venom. "You call power enough to level half a forest a few little tricks. And what about the fact that no one knew about it until this morning when a Jounin patrol found the sight. I want, no I demand to know exactly what you've taught them, everything."

Kyuubi was quite suddenly no longer smiling. His eyes took on a look akin to a smoldering flame ready to erupt into a raging inferno, and despite the fire in Kyuubi's eyes all the occupants noticed that the room seemed suddenly colder. Much colder. "Do not presume you may demand any thing from me or my students. Whatever claim you had to them is gone now. They are mine now."

Tsunade was shocked at the demons declaration. Those two were shinobi of the leaf they _belonged_ to Konoha. More over, as shinobi of the leaf they HAD to follow orders she gave them. Then Tsunade noticed the rather blank looks that the two wore and remembered their frightening way of answering in-sink. Maybe Kyuubi had some kind of hold over. Just then Tsunade's thoughts were interrupted.

Hinata on hearing Kyuubi's declaration had spoken up, or rather had expressed her opinion artistically. Both Kyuubi and Naruto were treated to the image of Kyuubi mighty and powerful chibi cuddling up to Hinata and Naruto while barking at Tsunade, with hearts in the background. Naruto burst in to laughter and fell to the floor. Kyuubi rolled his eyes and sighed deeply giving Hinata a reproachful look, but his eyes were warm and held just the tiniest bit of approval. Hinata allowed herself a small smile of her own and quiet suddenly Tsunade's vision of the evil demon holding her genin hostage was transformed into an exasperated teacher and his favorite students. Tsunade was completely lost.

Naruto finally stopped laughing and climbed back into his chair but the smile didn't fade from his lips and his eyes sparkled with amusement. _"You should let us tell her before she gets really mad."_ He commented to Kyuubi. _"She probably still wants revenge for the incident at the Hospital."_

Kyuubi scoffed out loud as he responded, **"She doesn't scare me, she's just an old hag."**

As he did Hinata piped up to Naruto. _"We should probably tell her what we can do Naruto-kun. She does need to know what we're capable of, for missions."_ Naruto unable to respond through the link nodded.

Tsunade watched the whole process with great confusion. She watched Naruto climb into his seat, Kyuubi scoff at something, and then Naruto nod. Not a word passed between the three. _"Kyuubi must be relaying messages."_ Tsunade thought, getting slightly ahead of herself. _"But Naruto's eye's always glaze over when he's talking with Kyuubi in his mindscape, and I know both Hinata and Naruto's eyes glazed over when they brought Kyuubi out. What the hell is going on? Well I intend to find out."_ Her decision made Tsunade rose and slammed her hand down on her desk effectively getting the genin and demon's attention. "Alright you three out with it, what have you been talking about."

Both Kyuubi and Naruto smiled foxy smiles while Hinata looked anywhere but at Tsunade. "What ever do you mean?" Kyuubi said aloud while commenting to his pupils. **"She catches on fast, for a hag."** Naruto smile widened and Hinata discreetly raised a hand to cover her own grin.

Tsunade sighed and turned on a softer target. "Naruto, Hinata I order you to tell me."

"**Don't tell her anything."** Kyuubi said his amusement obvious to the two genin.

Hinata rolled her eyes slightly and spoke in a lecturing tone to the others. _"It's really not nice to give Hokage-sama such a hard time."_ But she didn't speak up.

Mentally Tsunade was disappointed, she had really thought that Hinata would buckle under an order. _"O, well. If official power won't work, then intimidation should do the trick."_ She thought before rounding on Naruto. "NARUTO, TELL ME OR I'LL MAKE YOU LIFE A LIVING HELL. I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE." She accompanied this statement by looming over him and cracking her knuckles menacingly.

Naruto was on the verge of breaking when Kyuubi intervened. **"I know where you dream, kit. Think about it, a living hell or an eternal waking nightmare."** That froze Naruto's tongue. He shrugged and sat back in his chair a shadow of a smile still on his face.

Hinata for her part was trying very hard not to laugh. The whole escapade was quite pointless as Tsunade had more or less figured it out, she just couldn't get them to admit it. Without even looking at Kyuubi and Naruto she could tell that they were willing to keep this up as long as they could. _"Kyuubi-sensei could we please just tell her so we can leave?"_ Hinata asked hopefully.

Kyuubi sighed, rolled his and pouted mentally but gave in. "Alright hag I'll tell you everything I've taught them, but you have to move them into the same cell."

Tsunade kept a smile from her face, she had intended on putting them together anyway, especially after the incident in the forest. "Fine, I'll call a meeting of the genin and their instructors today." She said checking to make sure that all the Jounin instructors were in town at the time. "Now about your end of the deal." Kyuubi obliged, telling Tsunade everything he felt she should know.

1-2-3

Two and a half hours latter Naruto and Hinata waited in a small meeting room in the Hokage tower waiting for the remaining members of the rookie nine to show up. Kakashi and the other Jounin instructors Kurani and Asuma were already there. Sakura was the first to show up. Naruto hadn't seen her since his fight at The Valley of the End, she greeted him and Hinata politely but she seemed so different from the Sakura Naruto remembered. She seemed almost as cold and distant as Sasuke had been. It worried him. A few minutes later Ino arrived dragging Shikamaru. Ten minutes after Ino, Shino finally drifted in followed shortly by Kiba.

With everybody present Tsunade began, "Alright, you're all aware of the state of affairs. As of right now only one of your team is complete, and since you are all much more advanced than then new genin it has been decided that your teams will be consolidated into two complete teams. Shikamaru will be held in reserve to work with intelligence gathering and mission planning." Tsunade waited a moment to let some scattered grumbling die down before addressing those assembled once more. "Ok first off team 10 is officially disbanded, and in order to balance the new teams Hyuga Hinata will be moved to team 7 and team 8 will recived Yamanaka Ino. The new teams 7 and 8 will have the same Jounin instructors as normal. I suggest you take the rest of the day to get to know your new teammates and begin learning to work together because you will be starting missions as normal at the end of the week and you will be expected to perform missions that would normally fall to low chunin teams due to recent events. Good luck, dismissed. Oh, and would the Jounin instructors, Hinata, Shikamaru and Naruto stay behind for a moment."

The four Genin filled out of the room after dutifully receiving the time and place of their respective team meetings. Sakura lingered a moment longer than the others trying to figure out why the two other members of her team were asked to stay. _"What happened between them?"_ she wondered. Finally she decided she would add that to the growing list of things she had to beat out of Naruto, and left for the appointed meeting site.

Once the room was empty of the other Genin Tsunade addressed each of those she had asked to stay. "Alright, Shikamaru. As I said before you'll be trouble shooting and planning missions, so I want you to report to my office at 8 in the morning ever morning, you can go now." Shikamaru nodded and left quickly. "Asuma, you'll be starting with another genin team soon but until then you'll be on active duty. Report to the tower tomorrow morning for assignment." Tuning from one Jounin to the next Tsunade continued. "Kurani, here's the information on your knew student." Tsunade handed Kurani a small folder with the label Yamanaka, Ino.

Then she dismissed the two Jounin and turned to the final occupants of the room. "Kakashi, you're already aware of the situation with Hinata and Naruto, but I'm afraid I have one last surprise. It appears that Kyuubi has begun to train them, and intends to continue to do so." Kakashi's visible eye widened as the normally impassive Jounin processed the surprising information. Soon enough his calm face returned and he nodded to Tsunade.

At last she turned on the two Genin. "Naruto, Hinata, I'm leaving it up to you… three as to whether or not you reveal Kyuubi to Sakura because of what she already knows concerning the Valley of the End. I still want you to keep it as quite as you can but her experiences and knowledge and the fact that she will be working with the two of you may require that she know. Ultimately the choice is yours. Alright that's it, you may go."

The last of her messages delivered Tsunade left the room; Kakashi repeated that the two Genin were to meet in an hour at the bridge near team 7's training area and left as well. For a moment Hinata and Naruto stood alone in the room before leaving and heading to the Hokage monument.

1-2-3

Naruto leapt gracefully up the side of the cliff face coming to rest atop the carved head of the third Hokage. Moments later his companion landed beside him. "Did any one follow?"

Hinata let out a sigh and began a short series of seals. No one had ever followed them before, but it was better safe then sorry she supposed. Holding the final seal of the set she let her Byakugan scan the forest around them.

A tiny gasp escaped Hinata's lips as her gaze found two figures watching them a few hundred feet away, just inside the range of the Byakugan. A quick study of the figures revealed what Hinata already suspected. Both ninja wore clothing with the Hyuga crest and her father's personal crest. For a moment Hinata indulged in her anger at being spied on by her own father, and the tiny perverse pleasure in knowing that she now had her fathers full attention. "Naruto-kun look." Hinata said aloud to avoid drawing attention to the chakra thread that connected her and Naruto. She knew from experience that it could be seen with the Byakugan when they used it to talk.

Naruto heeded her words and closed his eyes. Taking hold of the thread he fought back a small bout of vertigo that he still felt when he saw through Hinata's Byakugan. Following her focus he spied the two Hyuga ninja watching them from the trees. A moment latter the two ninja retreated further away leaving the range of Hinata's Byakugan.

Release the link Naruto dropped to the ground with a sigh. "How long do you think they've been watching?"

Hinata sat next to him and pondered the question. "Not long, maybe just today." She said after a moment. "Father would have brought it up if he knew the truth." She added pointing to the seal on Naruto's stomach.

For a while they sat in silence, wanting desperately to do something but not daring to chance anything that used Kyuubi's power. After a few minutes Hinata breached the silence with a more pressing matter. "Naruto-kun…what should we do about Sakura?" Hinata asked careful to avoid using Kyuubi's name, lest her father's ninja were listening.

"I think she deserves to know. She saved our lives by being at the valley. If she hadn't been there to take Sasuke I wouldn't have been able to safely heal you." Naruto replied with his usual tone of firm resolve.

"**Who healed her?"** Kyuubi intoned like clockwork.

Hinata smiled at Naruto's response. "I was hoping you'd feel that way, I don't like keeping secrets."

"What about everyone else, Hinata?" Naruto asked.

"They're different." Hinata mumbled before switching the subject. _"What about you Kyuubi-sensei? Do you think we should tell Sakura-san?"_

"**I agree with Kit, if she hadn't been there one or both of you would be dead."**

"So then it's agreed, we'll tell Sakura-san after training today." Hinata said. Naruto nodded and Kyuubi answered in the affirmative.

For the rest of their free time Hinata and Naruto sat atop the carved head of the third idly talking about things of no consequence. Finally as the appointed time drew close the two genin rose and set off for their first meeting with their new team.

1-2-3

Sakura stood on the bridge near Team 7's training area, staring quietly into to river flowing beneath the wooding planks. This whole area was charged with meaning for the young Genin. From here she could see the training area where she and her teammates had first tried to capturer the bells from Kakashi, unsuccessfully. This was the very bridge where they had met before so many missions, including the fateful meeting that had led them into the Chunin exams. How many times had she come here to wonder if she was up to it, what would have been different if she had kept her team back? Would Sasuke be the traitor he was today?

"_No, he wouldn't be a traitor, I would still be a fan girl and Naruto…"_ Sakura stopped and wondered about that. _"How would Naruto have been changed if the Chunin exams hadn't happened, if we hadn't gotten wrapped up in all of that?"_

Sakura wasn't as surprised as she expected when she realized she didn't exactly know. She knew herself well enough to say what she would have been like. She had made it her business for several years to know Sasuke, and even if she didn't really know him that well it didn't take a genious to figure out how he would be different without the Chunin exam. Naruto however. Somewhere between the mission to wave country and the end of the Chunin exams Sakura had realized that her hyperactive teammate had a few dark secrets of his own.

Sakura let out a huge sigh and resumed staring into the water. _"Since when did life become so complicated? Maybe I just never paid enough attention or…" _Sakura's musings were brought to a premature end by the approach of her new teammates.

"A half an hour at least." Naruto said as he and Hinata approached the meeting place.

"Kakashi-sensei can't be that bad, can he?" Hinata asked.

"Worse." Naruto replied as they joined Sakura on the bridge. "Hi Sakura."

"Hi Naruto, Hinata."

"Hello Sakura-chan"

After their greetings the members of team 7 lapsed into a collective silence as they waited the arrival of their chronically late sensei. Their wait was, as predicted, a long one. Not a half an hour, but a full hour later Kakashi appeared before his team in a puff of smoke. He accepted the dagger filled glares of his two old students with a smile. "Yo."

"YOUR LATE AGAIN!" Naruto and Sakura's voices rang out together.

"Well, you see…" Kakashi began, but was interrupted seconds later.

"Save it." Sakura said flatly ending Kakashi's excuse mid sentence.

Kakashi stopped and for a long tense moment looked at Sakura before continuing. "All right then now that we're all here lets get started. I think since we're a new team introductions are in order." He paused a moment to appraise his audience. All three faces before him were blank, although given that Tsunade had told him that Naruto and Hinata could carry on an animated conversation without any outward signs their blank looks were understandable. Sakura's lack of emotional response after her initial outbursts however made Kakashi curious.

"So then; goals, hobbies, likes, dislikes?" Still no reaction. Kakashi almost sighed as he pointed to Naruto indicating for him to start.

Naruto stood and obliged Kakashi's request for an introduction with his typical enthusiasm. "My goal is to be the greatest Kage that any village has ever seen! Among other things. My hobby is training, among other things. I like Ramen, among other things." Naruto paused for a moment and grew quite serious. "I dislike that traitorous bastard." Of the people present only Hinata didn't assume he meant Sasuke.

Kakashi indicated Hinata next. She stood and began with a goal no less ambitious than Naruto's. "I'm going to be the greatest leader my clan has ever had, among other things." Kakashi chuckled at the similarities between the two of them, almost like it was rehearsed. "My hobby is reading, among other things. I like my pet fox."

"**Pet, who's a pet?"** Kyuubi piped up at Hinata's phrasing, trying to sound offended.

"And I dislike people who pick on those weaker than them."

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully before indicating Sakura. She didn't bother to stand as she began. "My goal is to not let my team down. My hobby is training. I like my friends, and I dislike a certain person."

Kakashi pondered their responses for a long time. Something that Youndaime had pounded into his head those many years ago was how much introductions could teach you about someone. Naruto's response hadn't changed much at all, same big goal, same likes. Different hobby and markedly different dislike, but overall very much the same introduction Kakashi had received when Team 7 was first formed, tempered understandably by experience. The big difference was the way Naruto said it, his goal seemed to carry much more weight this time around or maybe Kakashi was trying to read to far into the boy.

The way Hinata had paralleled Naruto's response told Kakashi all that he needed to know. _"These two have big plans and they're in it for the long run, together apparently."_

Sakura's response was much different and clearly reflected her growth as a shinobi. The first time she hadn't seen anything other than Sasuke, this time around she has a real goal and completely different outlook. _"Sasuke's betrayal has affected both of them dramatically. They both look as if their coming to terms with it, but I'm worried about Sakura. She's changed a lot."_

Kakashi wrapped up his evaluation of their responses and began to address his new students. "Well then if that's it. I haven't see you two in action for a while and I've never seen what Hinata can really do so," He reached behind his back dramatically and pulled out three small bells. "Shall we see what you all can do?"

"Oh, hell." Naruto groaned.

1-2-3

And there you have it. Expect chapter 6 sooner rather than later, but don't be disappointed if it still shows up later rather than sooner.


	6. Together This Time

Okay, take 6.

1-2-3

Together This Time

1-2-3

The members on new team 7 stood across the training area from their sensei. Kakashi had the three small bells tied securely to his belt and looked at his students appraisingly. '_Naruto and Hinata have Kyuubi, and Naruto has summoning and the Rasengan. Hinata has gentle fist. Looks like Sakura is the weak link this time around, but she and Hinata are also unknowns. I have no way of knowing what they might have learned since I last saw them fight.'_

"Hey Kakashi-sensei." Naruto called grabbing his teacher's attention. "No special eye today, okay? Me and Hinata wouldn't want anyone going and talking about what we've learned since we got out of the hospital." Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the phrasing, was Naruto trying to tell him something? Naruto nodded just barely and Kakashi watched him show two fingers on his hand still at his side.

Kakashi nodded, "Alright then. There will be no special eyes watching."

Naruto grinned, "Good!"

"Ready…Go!" At Kakashi's signal all four of them vanished into the surrounding forest.

After a short sprint into the woods Naruto stopped. Without even trying he could feel that Hinata was following him, a split second latter she entered the tiny clearing where he stood, a few seconds later Sakura brought up the rear.

"So what's the plan?" Sakura questioned of her teammates.

"First we wait," Naruto answered. "Hey Hinata-chan, think you could find Kakashi-sensei?"

Hinata didn't reply as she was already moving through the familiar seals for her Byakugan.

"Why wait if Hinata can find Kakashi-sensei with her Byakugan?" Sakura asked Naruto while Hinata scanned the forest.

"Kakashi-sensei has something he has to take care of first." Naruto replied.

"Found him, and our other guests." Hinata piped up. "They're not paying attention, Kakashi-sensei will reach them any second now."

"Who's not paying attention?" Sakura's asked, annoyed at being kept out of the loop.

"We'll explain everything after the test, Sakura-san." Hinata offered. Sakura looked a little hurt at still being out of the loop, but nodded slowly anyway.

For a short while Hinata and Naruto watched the unfolding scene between the Hyugas and Kakashi. They were so intent upon their prey that they only noticed him a split second before he was on them. They tried to scatter but it was too late, Kakashi grabbed them both by the back of their jackets and leapt gracefully to the forest floor. Neither Naruto nor Hinata were any good at lip reading so they couldn't tell what was being said but they could tell that the Hyuga Nin were getting very flustered. The exchange went on for a few moments more until Kakashi leaned close to one of the ninja and whispered something. The Hyuga's eyes got very wide and nodded quickly before motioning to his partner and running into the forest. Kakashi watched them for a second before summoning Pankun to make sure they stayed away.

Naruto smiled as he turned to his teammates. "Alright then now that that's taken care of lets focus on those bells. So what do we have in our corner? I've got Rasengan, some summoning, Kage Bunshin and the basics."

"Gentle Fist and my Byakugan." Hinata listed off her reliable skills.

Both of them turned to Sakura, silently indicating for her to list her skills. Sakura paled at the thought, after all what did she have to compare with the Rasengan and the Byakugan eyes? "Umm, I guess I've got Bunshin, Kawarimi and Henge." Sakura grimaced at her pathetic arsenal.

Naruto nodded, "So, any ideas?"

Silence answered him. After a brief moment the young shinobi realized his companions were waiting on him. Naruto took a long moment to ponder this. In the beginning of Team 7, Sasuke had always been the unofficial leader. This was because of the fact that nobody really listened to Naruto, he hadn't been all that bright back then, and that Sasuke's personality demanded nothing less than control. Now with Sakura visibly at a loss for what to do and Hinata unwilling if not unable, the mantle of team leader fell firmly on his shoulders.

Returning their gazes Naruto nodded, "Alright here's what we'll do…"

A minute later the three genin broke ranks and spread out around the clearing and waited for their target. Another five minutes passed before Kakashi wandered slowly into the clearing, his forbidden little book in his hand, his face buried inside. Upon reaching the center of the clearing Kakashi paused and marked his page. Closing the volume with a snap, he placed it in his pocket and spoke aloud to the clearing. "Alright Naruto, no special eyes watching except for the one on your side. So you three can stop hiding and come at me with everything you've got. Remember if you expect to win your going to have to fight to kill."

The Jounin waited, ten seconds passed without so much as a whisper. Twenty seconds, thirty seconds, a minute…then at some unseen signal a barrage of kunai shot into the clearing and peppered the Jounin like a pincushion before he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving a log riddled with weapons behind.

Kakashi appeared in a nearby tree, his visible eye shone with a fierce delight. _'Those kunai came from three different angles, so their not bunched up, and their working together. They've got a plan.'_ Kakashi couldn't help but feel proud of Sakura and Naruto. They'd grown so much.

Even as he gloated a little to himself Kakashi was searching the forest around him with a keen eye. Suddenly he dropped into a crouch as three kunai whipped through the place his head had occupied just seconds before. Looking up his eye widened again when he saw the exploding tags attached to the handles.

Throwing himself off the branch he heard the explosion behind and felt a few pieces of shrapnel bounce off his vest. As he flew through the air Kakashi saw a glimpse of pink and a flash of metal, twisting his body he drew a kunai and deflected the two shuriken that Sakura had thrown. Completing the turn he faced the other side of the clearing and saw a most disconcerting sight, Hinata was leaping straight at him.

Knowing that melee was the last place he wanted to be with the Hyuga since even a tiny blow, hell even a blocked attack, could prove 'fatal', he launched his kunai at the approaching hazard. Kakashi was surprised when Hinata held up one hand to the weapon and it ricocheted off with a dull thud. Undeterred, Kakashi grabbed one of girl's sleeves and with a deft feat of acrobatics spun in mid air and hurled her out of the clearing.

Landing gracefully in the center of the clearing Kakashi waited for the next attack. He didn't have to wait long. His feet were barely on the ground when a group of shuriken appeared in his peripheral vision. Leaping backwards a short distance he watched the projectiles continue into a tree on the other side of the clearing. Only his instincts saved him from the next attack that came in from his blind side. Going into a side roll Kakashi came up in time to see no less than a dozen assorted shuriken and kunai whiz past.

Even as they did he heard a dull thud from behind him, he started to turn when he heard a faint hiss of something burning. '_Another bomb!'_ Leaping forward and into a roll Kakashi regained his feet just as he heard the explosion, but felt no indication that a powerful explosive tag had gone off. Suddenly suspicious he spun around and faced a wall of billowing smoke. _'A smoke bomb? Of course, the smoke wouldn't hinder the Byakugan.'_ Just as this thought crossed his mind Hinata charged out of the smoke.

Kakashi felt another smile grace his hidden lips. This was how a team should act, but one thing bothered Kakashi. Where was Naruto? After all, with everything he knew and all the combat experience he'd had, he would probably prove the biggest threat. Ending his musings Kakashi turned back to the matter at hand.

Once more seeking a quick ending to a melee exchange he launched a series of quick kicks at Hinata as soon as she was in range. Keeping her on the edge of his superior reach Kakashi kept the contact from the attacks to a minimum pulling them back just before Hinata could send a pulse of deadly chakra through the contact point. Once her attack was stalled Kakashi darted in and used the same tactic as before to dispose of his opponent. Grabbing the front of her jacket he hurled the girl back into the slowly dispersing smoke screen.

Hearing another set of footsteps behind Kakashi spun and faced down his orange clad pupil. _'Speak of the devil.' _ Naruto was already air born with a fist in route forcing Kakashi to raise one arm in defense. Naruto's other arm followed the first in and Kakashi blocked by trying to grab his student's fist but even as the attack met the block it was on its way out as Naruto launched a spinning kick. Kakashi met this attack with an upraised arm, but Naruto wasn't done quite yet, using Kakashi's arm as a spring board he quickly reversed his spin coiling himself for a thrust kick that Kakashi met with a cross block. Naruto used this block as another platform to launch himself out of combat and into a low crouch.

Naruto rose from the crouch and let fly a half dozen shuriken, Kakashi sidestepped the assault easily. Once more instincts honed over years of training screamed at him and he leapt backwards. Another half dozen shuriken passed in front of him. Tensing he waited, this wasn't over yet, not by a long shot. Then he heard the other shoe fall, literally. Hearing the sounds of someone running behind him Kakashi spun and saw Hinata charging out of the smoke just feet away. Another set of feet began to run behind him, sparring a glance back Kakashi blanched. Naruto was charging from behind with a Rasengan held in one hand. Choosing the lesser of two evils Kakashi charged Hinata.

Leaping lightly Kakashi prepared to use Hinata's back as a springboard to get more distance and disable her until he could deal with Naruto. Pushing down he was surprised to meet no resistance. _"A Bunshin!"_ His foot passed through the formless illusion and he stumbled. Throwing himself to the side Kakashi came out of his roll facing Naruto. Digging into his pouch he tossed a handful of kunai at his student, hopping to force Naruto to abandon his attack or at least to buy some time. _'Defiantly better this time around.'_ To his immense surprise though Naruto simply disappeared into a puff of smoke. _'Kage Bunshin?'_ Kakashi puzzled for a split second before a quartet of thuds issued from inside the smoke, followed by Hinata's emergence from the cloud. _"Kawarimi!"_ Leaping into the air Kakashi's suspicions were confirmed when he heard Naruto's Rasengan tear up the ground where he had just occupied.

Looking down Kakashi watched his pupils follow him into the air. Taking a leaf from their book he quickly primed an explosive tag and let it drop. Both shinobi saw the bomb drifting down towards them even as they sailed up to meet it. Grabbing each other they each braced against the other and pushed off out of the path of the projectile. As the tag went off Naruto summoned a Kage Bunshin and literally threw himself back at the Jounin. Kakashi met the assault by dodging, smiling he prepared to strike back. Only to receive a viscous ax kick delivered to his shoulder from behind.

As he fell Kakashi silently congratulated Hinata on the attack and wondered how she had changed direction. It was however a problem for another day as both of his air born students launched a mishmash of projectiles at their falling teacher. Unable to move his arm yet after Hinata's apparently chakra charged kick Kakashi settled for dodging. A moment of hectic acrobatics latter Kakashi landed on the ground praising whatever it was that had saved him from any injuries; be it his own skill, his student's lack of skill or lack of desire to harm him, he didn't know or care.

Kakashi began to rub his numb arm and try to get some feeling back into the limp appendage. As mobility began to return Kakashi heard three voices boldly announce their next assault.

"KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

"BUNSHIN NO JUSTU!"

At a glance Kakashi numbered his new opponents in the dozens. Perhaps two-dozen Naruto's, a dozen Hinata's and a half dozen Sakura's filled the clearing and surrounding forest. For a moment there was silence, then three and a half dozen Genin charged.

A little less than a minute latter Kakashi dispatched the last of his opponents. Looking around the clearing Kakashi saw no more threats. In fact he saw no trace of any of his students at all. Then across the clearing from him he spied a hastily scrawled note pinned to a tree.

"Out to lunch."

Instantly his hand was at his side. Kakashi grinned again as he realized he was three bells short.

1-2-3

Team 7 sat together relishing their lunches, Naruto in particular. After all last time he hadn't ended up with anything to eat, even if it was his fault. All in all the three of them were quite pleased with themselves after managing to foil the older ninja, even if he hadn't used any jutsu or his Sharingan. Each one had a shiny little bell clasped protectively in their hand, not willing to trust luck that far. Sakura was engaging her new teammate in a conversation about Hinata's old team. Naruto and Hinata were silently listening to Kyuubi's evaluation of their performance.

**"And that maneuver with Kawarimi, remember that. We're going to practice that later. Hinata, excellent execution of the air platform and your shields, those turned out perfect. Maybe your success with them will inspire some other student of mine to start working on his own stuff."**

'_I will, eventually.'_ Naruto said vaguely more preoccupied with Hinata's unfolding drama.

"Then Kiba-kun charged the thugs with Gatsuga, but he hadn't told us he was sick. He sneezed in the middle of the attack, and he ended up in a heap halfway to the thugs. Kurenai-sensei had to carry him back home." Hinata finished, blushing a little at the embarrassing memory. She'd edited out a few minor details that she would much rather have forgotten. Such as Kiba's less than appropriate remarks about their sensei's rear on the journey home. Naruto laughed out loud as a few of these stray memories crossed over unbidden and Hinata was vividly reminded of another task she was training for.

Sakura laughed lightly at the stories of former team 8's plight. "Sometimes I wonder how Naruto managed to beat Kiba, then I hear something like this and I'm reminded that there are people out there with bigger egos than even Naruto." It was so much easier to forget Sasuke with Naruto there. He was like a little brother, or maybe happiness incarnate.

"Is it so bad to be proud of my awesome, amazing ninja skills?" Naruto said through a mouthful of food. Sakura laughed again but stopped when to all their surprises he received an answer.

"Usually yes, but I guess we can give you a break this once." All three of them turned towards the sound of their sensei's voice. Kakashi ambled out of the woods carrying his book in one hand and their sign in the other.

"So you finally decided to join us?" Naruto joked.

"Yah," Sakura added, catching on to the flow easily. "You're going to be late to your own funeral Kakashi-sensei. So, what took you? Surely it didn't take five minutes to deal with our clones?"

"I was giving you a chance to talk, to celebrate. Maybe get some things off your chest." Kakashi replied, looking pointedly at Naruto and Hinata.

"We… thought we'd wait for you. Just in case." Naruto responded slowly.

Kakashi closed his naughty little book and tucked it away. "Ok, I'm here now." Sakura watched the short exchange in puzzlement.

"Sakura, there are some things Hinata and I have to tell you." Naruto began cautiously.

"Well I've got some questions of my own." Sakura said fiercely.

"Alright, but let us say what we need to say first, ok?" Naruto said quickly, cutting her off with a grave look.

"Ok."

Naruto took a deep breath, telling this story never got easer. It hadn't been easy to hear it himself, it hadn't been easy to tell Hinata, and it most certainly wasn't going to be any easier to tell Sakura; but it had to be done. "Alright, this all begins about thirteen years ago, shortly before I was born. You remember Orochimaru don't you?" Sakura nodded, her eyes narrowed. Orochimaru was the reason for all this. "Orochimaru still wore his leaf headband then. Anyway, Orochimaru made a grave mistake and insulted a great demon."

Sakura's eyes widened sharply, there was only one demon she knew about. What could the Kyuubi have to do with Naruto, furthermore where was he getting this story? He wouldn't lie to her, would he?

"After insulting the demon Orochimaru fled, as he fled he slew some of the demon's clan. The demon was furious and sought retribution against those he believed to be Orochimaru's allies; his former village." Sakura's eyes widened still further at this, even Kakashi's normally stoic visage showed shock. This was information that could potentially change the whole villages outlook.

"You know the next part of the story. Kyuubi attacked Konoha in a rage, hundreds died. Then the Yondaime Hokage arrived and saved the day, but there's more." Naruto paused for a moment. "Things that our generation was never told, about _how_ the Yondaime defeated Kyuubi. You see, he couldn't kill Kyuubi, that kind of power hasn't been seen in thousands of years. Since he couldn't kill the demon outright, the Hokage was forced to seal him in a vessel… a baby actually, that would eventually die and in the process take Kyuubi with them." Naruto could tell that Sakura's mind was reeling. Understandable, since Naruto was rewriting history for her; changing things she'd always accepted as true. Not to mention the implications about himself.

Sakura quickly and quietly pushed everything else aside and tried to make it all go away. "That isn't funny Naruto, saying that the Yondaime died for nothing. If no one in our generation has been told then how do you know!" She wanted it all to be a joke, just stupid Naruto making a fool out of himself. She looked to Kakashi for confirmation. He stared straight back into her eyes and nodded grimly. She looked around frantically hoping that someone was going to jump out and tell her it was all a joke, a horrible cruel joke, but a joke nonetheless.

Finally when nothing happened to refute the story Sakura tied to focus, facts…she needed facts. "Who then? Who was…?" The truth hit her like a ton of bricks. It couldn't be anyone else; it had to be him. In wave country, at the chunin exam, at the valley, it couldn't have been anything else.

"Y-you! It-it has to be you." Now it was Naruto's turn to nod. Sakura felt like she was falling, it was all so surreal. Sasuke, the boy she had chased for so long, had betrayed the village. Had tried to go to Orochimaru, the legendary Sanin who had betrayed Konoha, but had been brought back by Naruto. Naruto, the dead last, whom another of the Sanin had trained and who was apparently some sort of demon thing. Sakura found herself shrinking away from Naruto. Looking to her sensei, her only lifeline, she managed to find her voice and force a question into the air that hung thick with tension.

"What...is he?"

Kakashi seemed to consider the question before answering. "I can't tell you that. Every one who knows has to make that decision for themselves. Most can't see past what is sealed inside him, but I guess it's their right to be bigots."

Sakura nodded numbly and closed her eyes against the world; she tried to remember everything she knew about Naruto. Every little gesture, his smile that couldn't be anything but fake sometimes, everything that made him who he was. When she was sure she had Naruto pegged, including the fights where he must have been channeling Kyuubi, Sakura tried to attach that label to him. She tried to label him Kyuubi, placing the name and all that came with it on to her loud blond teammate. She couldn't do it. Naruto was, well, Naruto, and whatever that may be it certainly wasn't Kyuubi. As a matter of fact, Sakura couldn't even be sure that Kyuubi was Kyuubi anymore, if what Naruto had said was true.

Finally she opened her eyes and took a long look at him. After a moment she nodded. Naruto was still Naruto. This revelation had changed some things but it couldn't change Naruto. Satisfied that she now had some certainty to cling to Sakura focused again on what she didn't understand. "What does this all have to do with Hinata, Naruto? You said that the two of you had something to tell me."

Naruto nodded and took another deep breath. He was honestly relieved that Sakura had taken it so well. "You remember at the Valley of the End? When you and Hinata showed up? I was fighting Sasuke with Kyuubi's power; it's something I can do because of the way he was sealed. You remember how Hinata saved me then, taking Sasuke's attack. After you left I asked Kyuubi for help, because I couldn't do anything."

Sakura cut off his thought, "You can talk to it!"

**"So I'm an it now."**

Naruto and Hinata both smiled a little at the comments, "Yes I can speak with him. When he's not being an ass. Kyuubi agreed to help,"

"Why, what was in it for him?" Sakura asked, no longer afraid but curious.

**"It would be faster if I just came out and explained myself."**

_'And seeing Sakura scream has nothing to do with it.'_

**"Nothing at all. Well, not much anyway."**

"He got, well..."

_'What did you get other than the ability to gripe to us face to face?'_

**"Oh for the love of...I'm coming out there."** Thoroughly annoyed Kyuubi manifested swiftly behind Sakura and tapping her lightly on the shoulder.

"This. Among a number of other things you probably wouldn't understand." Kyuubi watched in grim amusement, as Sakura did not scream. Instead she stiffened for a moment before fainting dead away.

"Well that's certainly one way to end a conversation." Kakashi observed cheerfully.

1-2-3

Ten minutes later Sakura came to and found Kakashi standing over her.

"How are you feeling?" Kakashi asked.

Sakura didn't respond but instead focused on getting up. Rising groggily to a sitting position she looked around for her teammates. Naruto and Hinata were sitting underneath a tree talking in hushed voices. Naruto looked amused though a little worried. Hinata just kept shaking her head in a slightly troubled, slightly exasperated way in between talking. Sakura noticed this only briefly as a spot of orange against tan caught her eye. Curled contentedly in Hinata's lap was a tiny fox. Sakura remembered what Naruto had said before she passed out, she remembered the stranger (she refused to call it Kyuubi until she had proof) that had snuck up on her and startled her. He'd said something about not understanding then she'd fainted when she'd seen him.

'_No, it couldn't be. Hinata said she had a pet fox, and no one would call that thing a pet but…' _Sakura couldn't help but stare at the little thing. After a few short moments the fox looked up at her. Sakura was stunned in the moment that their eyes met. _'Those eyes…it couldn't be, could it?' _But it could.

Kyuubi all but smirked as he stirred under Sakura's scrutiny. Leaping down form his perch on Hinata's lap he stretched and proudly displayed all nine of his tails. Sakura glared at Kyuubi for a moment before saying "So it's all true…who'd have thought."

Naruto and Hinata looked guilty and nodded. "Every word, Sakura." Naruto added brightly.

Sakura looked at Kyuubi with deep scrutiny, for an eons old demon the fox wasn't all that intimidating in his chosen form. Kyuubi starred back from the ground. "What's in it for you, saving Hinata?" Sakura asked again, she didn't like having her questions left unanswered.

Kyuubi tilted his head to the side before shifting to his human form and smiling disarmingly. "Freedom, and a chance to make things right. You probably don't understand but that's the way of it."

Sakura nodded at the demon's answer, it was probably the best she was going to get and all things considered, it was accurate. She _didn't_ really understand. She was still recovering from the initial shock, running more on adrenaline and pent up emotion then anything else. It all still resembled a dream…and not a good one.

Kakashi picked up on the once more growing apprehension in Sakura and decided it was best if he ended the meeting so she could get some rest and finish coming to terms with the implications of what she'd just learned. "Alright everyone. Good work, much better this time around. Meet at the Hokage tower tomorrow at 7. Dismissed."

Naruto and Hinata nodded before leaving, Kyuubi vanishing as they left the clearing. Sakura stood around a moment longer before starting away. Kakashi almost let her go but remembered at the last minute that she needed to know about the Third's law still. "Sakura." She turned to look at him. "No one else can know about this. Naruto and Hinata told you because you need to know if your going to be working with them but it's still a secret that they're trusting you to keep." He purposely didn't mention the law; it would be better for now if she just thought it was a personal secret they'd trusted her with. Absolutely worst case was she went and told everyone, but Kakashi liked to think he knew his team better than that. At least he hoped he knew his team that well, considering how well it turned out he knew one member of his old team.

1-2-3

Okie dokie, there it is. Next up we have Neo-Team 7's first mission.


End file.
